UKRAINE TO SHOW OFF ITS RUSLAN CARGO JET

KIEV, May 11, (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's Antonov aircraft design bureau is to
show off its An-124 Ruslan heavy-duty cargo jet, which helps airlift NATO
troops in Afghanistan, before NATO representatives and those of the German
Defense Ministry.

Talking to the Novosti-Ukraine wire service, Andrei Sovenko, who heads the
Antonov design bureau's press center, noted that the An-124 and Antonov
Airlines will be unveiled during yet another stage of talks as regards the
use of heavy-duty Ukrainian planes.

The NATO leadership will learn more about the An-124 aircraft and Antonov
Airlines May 11-12 during the ILA-2004 international aerospace show at
Schonefeld airport near Berlin, Sovenko noted.

In his words, the presentation ceremony mostly aims to acquaint all
concerned NATO and EU (European Union) structures with the potential of
Ruslan planes, as well as that of Antonov Airlines.

As of today, Ukraine and Russia are the only countries in the world to
operate An-124-100 aircraft. Each Ruslan's load-carrying capacity totals 120
tons; meanwhile revamped Ruslan versions can carry 150 tons of freight.

In 2004 the Government of Ukraine and NATO signed a memorandum on using
Ukraine's long-range transport aircraft during NATO operations and
exercises. In 2003 NATO countries inked a document stipulating the use of
Ukraine's An-124-100 cargo jets for long-range missions in the interests of
NATO prior to the adoption of the new European A-400-M transport aircraft.