Explosion shatters Russian Navy An‑72 at Moscow airport
An explosion of an An-72 aircraft occurred at Ostafyevo Airport near Moscow on December 12. This information was shared by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR), which released a short video depicting the incident.
On December 12, 2024, a military transport An-72 aircraft exploded at Ostafyevo Airport in the Moscow region. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR), the main engine unit of the aircraft, which belongs to the Russian Navy, detonated. No additional details are currently known about the operation involving the An-72 explosion.
Financial losses
According to GUR, the value of the destroyed aircraft amounts to about $4.5 million (CAD 6.5 million). The Ukrainians further emphasized in their statement that for every criminal act against the Ukrainian people, there will be an appropriate retaliation.
Russian transport aircraft
The Antonov An-72 is a transport aircraft rarely seen over Ukraine, which relates to its primary function. Its design allows it to carry loads weighing up to 10,000 kilograms and transport a maximum of 52 passengers or up to 68 in a configuration with additional seats. Due to these features, this aircraft is typically used for domestic military transports and delivering light military equipment to safe areas away from combat zones.
The An-72 aircraft is notable for its specific overwing engines, which generate a phenomenon known as the Coanda effect. Thanks to this phenomenon, the aircraft gains increased lift. This effect is based on the assumption that the stream of gas from the engines adheres to the nearest surface it encounters. The Coanda effect is applied in various aircraft designs, including airplanes like the Boeing YC-14, which was the first to utilize this phenomenon in modern aviation.
As for performance, the An-72 can reach speeds of up to 700 km/h, with a range of over 4,300 kilometres. The aircraft is powered by two Progress D-36 engines, each with a maximum thrust of 64 kilonewtons. The design of the An-72, created in the late 1970s, features a length of slightly over 28 metres and a wingspan of nearly 32 metres.
