Ukrainian giant Antonov wants to land in Quebec | Le Devoir The manufacturer of the largest aircraft on the planet, the Ukrainian giant Antonov, wants to design and make the final assembly of a model of cargo aircraft in Quebec, Le Devoir learned. Without drums or trumpets, this Crown corporation created a Canadian subsidiary in March; it is now seeking the political and financial support of the Government of Quebec to settle in the province. Little known in Quebec, the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov nevertheless remains a giant in the aviation industry. The company, which belongs to Ukroboronprom, a major Ukrainian state conglomerate in the defence sector, manufactures AN-225. It is part of the select club of aircraft manufacturers for the military sector such as Airbus, Embraer, Lockheed Martin, Kawasaki, Osprey, Taqnia, or Tata. However, in March, the company discreetly created its Canadian subsidiary — Antonov Aircraft Canada — headquartered in downtown Mont-réal. Antonov is now trying to lay the foundations for official cooperation between the Ukrainian government and the Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation so that it can design and assemble a cargo plane in the province. "There is a document that has been proposed between the two governments at this stage," Desmond Burke, head of Gold Leaf Aviation, an Ontario company representing Antonov's interests in Canada, told Devoir. We always try to get aircraft manufacturers. Although Antonov does not have the size of Airbus, they have very strong expertise in Ukraine in aircraft manufacturing. — Suzanne M. Benedict The content of this document, if accepted, "would frame the discussions of the two governments" so that Antonov could eventually manufacture appliances in Quebec. "It's the puzzle piece that is missing" for the AN-74 modernization project to move forward in the province, says Desmond Burke. Designed in the late 1970s, the AN-74 is a twin-engine cargo aircraft that can fly 4,600 kilometers at a speed of 560 km/h. Mr. Burke presents the aircraft as the aerial equivalent of a "pick-up truck" or a "draught horse". Antonov now wants to modernize it. The "design and final assembly" of the device would be done in Quebec, he says. It would be a "utilitarian aircraft" designed from "the best of what is in the Quebec aviation industry". The AN-74 could "potentially use engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney or technologies from [Montreal] CMC Electronics". If Antonov hopes above all to establish a partnership with Quebec City, the company believes that the Canadian market would be promising for the AN-74. "Take Quebec territory, it is huge and the only way to reach [and supply] certain regions is by air," he says. If Mr. Burke uses the term "utilitarian aircraft", the AN-74 remains a cargo aircraft that has been mainly used for heavy transport for military purposes until now. The air forces of Russia, Egypt, Kazakhstan and Iran own the aircraft in their respective fleets. In January, the Ukrainian government declared that it wanted to resume production of the AN-74 and add it to its own fleet. Saudi investments? As for the financing of the project, Antonov's representative is more discreet. Will Saudi Arabia participate, as mentioned in Le Devoir by a source familiar with the file? "I can't say if there are investments from Saudi Arabia, but there is certainly interest in the Middle East," he says. Antonov's interest in Quebec goes beyond aeronautics, the company being also present in the rail sector. She also wants the support of the Quebec government to win a call for tenders in Ukraine from Ukrainerzaliznytsia, a Crown corporation that manages the country's rail network. The latter wants to modernize its fleet of passenger cars. For both its aeronautical and rail ambitions, Antonov Aircraft Canada wants to benefit from the Government of Quebec's Support for Transformative Investment Projects (SPRINT) program. To be eligible for the program, projects must represent investments of at least $10 million or create more than 100 jobs with salaries above the salary of the region. "It would be a nice addition to our ecosystem," Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal, Quebec's aerospace industrial cluster. "We always try to get aircraft manufacturers. Although Antonov does not have the size of Airbus, they have very strong expertise in Ukraine in aircraft manufacturing. ” The big challenge could, in her opinion, be to certify the aircraft with Transport Canada. "It's a very expensive process," she notes, adding that the process leading to this certification creates so many business opportunities that could benefit the Quebec ecosystem. TO SEE IN VIDEO https://www.ledevoir.com/eco nomie/617223/aeronautique- antonov-veut-atterrir-au- Copié <iframe src="//cdn.jwplayer.com/play ers/sfbye6rq-2OcidoSu.html" Copié.