Le programme du nouveau cargo lourd russe (Slon)

[Dragunov]

Slon, replacement for the An-124, had an improved design

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Russian research institute has presented a new configuration for the four-engine aircraft and the capacity to carry up to 180 tons

The TsAGI, Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Russia, has revealed a new configuration for the design of the “Slon” (Elephant) heavy transport jet.

The massive aircraft is being developed as a replacement for the An-124, the main military freighter that entered service in the 1980s in the Soviet Union.

A 2 meter long mockup for wind tunnel testing is being evaluated with a longer fuselage thanks to a new rear section. In addition, the Slon features an improved wing-fuselage fairing and redesigned engine pylons for the PD-35 turbofan, currently under development.

The most striking change, however, is the installation of winglets on the wingtips in order to reduce aerodynamic drag. According to TsAGI, the model can receive several types of winglets that will be tested by the end of the year in the wind tunnel.

“The Slon aircraft is primarily optimized for civil use. Thanks to the enlarged fuselage, we will be able to offer customers the transport of large volumes of cargo for the estimated flight range, and the wing with modified wing tips will ensure high aerodynamic quality,” said Alexander Krutov, researcher at TsAGI.

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New giant

Russia has been studying a successor to the An-124 Ruslan since relations with Ukraine were strained and Antonov lost its biggest customer.

The An-124 was developed as a response to the US Air Force’s Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, offering a payload capacity of 120 tons, then the largest in history for an aircraft in its category.

The Slon should outperform the An-124 by a large margin. The Russian plan is for the massive freighter to be able to fly distances of 7,000 km with up to 180 tons of cargo on board. There is no forecast when the aircraft will be produced so far.

https://www.airdatanews.com/slon-replac ... ed-design/

[Dragunov]

J’espère pour la Russie que ce programme continue et aboutisse,car sauf erreur de ma part sans Antonov,les plus gros porteurs disponibles sont les Ilyushin qui n’ont pas vraiment évolué ergonomiquement et ne peuvent assumer le transport de la dimension ou du poid que se que assument les AN.
J’espère aussi vu que ce serait une nouvelle chaîne de production que les clients étrangers en commanderont.
Bien évidemment si tout ce programme voit le jour.

[Dragunov]

Russia’s Slon Heavyweight Completes Latest Research Cycle

Russia has devised a new iteration of the Slon (English: Elephant) next-generation outsized cargo aircraft, an intended replacement for the An-124-100 Ruslan from Ukraine's Antonov. On July 7, the Central Aero Hydrodynamics Institute (TsAGI) issued a statement on the completion of the third “research cycle” on the Slon, concentrating on aerodynamics at various flight modes and speeds.

TsAGI has received a contract from Russia’s Ministry for Industry and Trade under the “Transport Technologies – 2” scientific research project for the work.

Draft specifications call for transportation of heavy outsized cargo loads at a distance of 7,000 km (3,778 nautical miles) at a cruise speed of 459 kt with takeoffs and landings on runways as short as 9,843 feet. The maximum commercial payload capacity totals 180 tonnes, or one-third more than the respective figure for the An-124-100 (120 tonnes). The increase results from the intended use of the PD-35 turbofan, which produces nearly 50 percent more thrust (35 tonnes) than the Ivchenko-Progress/Motor Sich D-18T on the Ruslan.

As a result of the third iteration, TsAGI has introduced a number of corrections from the previous Slon layout. The most significant change involves an enlarged fuselage cross-section to accommodate bulkier cargo loads.

The aerodynamic fairing for wing-to-fuselage attachment points has become smaller. Designers also improved the shape of the engine pylons and nacelles to better house the PD-35.

A refined aerodynamic model for wind testing incorporates the changes. It features a wingspan of 5.9 feet and a length of about 6.56 feet. Engineers used complex 3D technologies on computer-aided manufacturing tools to make the parts for the model.

Despite the stated completion of the third research cycle, TsAGI intends to carry on with additional wind testing before year-end focused on typical cruise flight conditions. For that, the institute will use of its T-106 wind tube running at different modes, including variable air density. The scaled model will undergo testing with a few alternative versions of the winglets.

TsAGI characterizes the Slon as “optimized primarily for civil applications,” whereas the Ruslan has served both air forces and commercial airlines. “Thanks to the latest decision to enlarge the fuselage cross-section, we will be able to offer our customers a better solution to do with the transportation of larger-volume cargoes at distances they specified,” TsAGI representative Alexander Krutov said. “Besides, the wing with improved winglets will provide a higher lift to drag ratio.”

Russia’s development of the Slon comes as most Ruslans in military and commercial service have begun to approach the end of their lifespans. TsAGI has led the project since its inception in 2016, but the role of the dedicated scientific-research organization is limited to suggesting and refining the airplane’s aerodynamic layout before responsibility gets handed over to an established aircraft manufacturer. Ilyushin has emerged as the most likely candidate given it has won a number of government contracts on technical support of Russia’s Ruslan fleet.

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... arch-cycle