By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A Russian An-22 military transport aircraft crashed in the Ivanovo region during a scheduled test flight after repairs, resulting in the presumed deaths of all seven crew members. The incident occurred near the Uvod Reservoir in the Furmanovsky District. This particular aircraft, based at the Ivanovo-Severny military airfield, was likely undergoing maintenance within a hangar before the flight. The An-22, a Soviet-era aircraft known for its large payload capacity and historic significance as the world’s largest turboprop aircraft, was originally slated for retirement in 2024, but may have been re-evaluated due to recent losses of other military transport aircraft.
Read the original article here
An-22 Military Transport Plane Crashes in Russia After Repairs… So, here we are, talking about the rather unfortunate situation of an An-22 military transport plane in Russia, and the fact that it seemingly met its end *after* undergoing repairs. It’s certainly a headline that grabs your attention, and it’s difficult not to have a few thoughts racing through your mind. It’s a reminder of the complex realities behind military operations and the challenges they face.
The An-22, for those unfamiliar, is a beast of a plane. The world’s largest turboprop aircraft, to be exact. And let’s be clear, the manufacturer, Antonov, is based in Ukraine. The plane itself was built in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. A bit of a geographical and historical journey, isn’t it? But, the key takeaway is that it’s no longer being manufactured. That means maintaining them is a whole different ballgame. They have to scavenge parts from other airframes to keep the existing ones flying. This already paints a picture of inherent logistical difficulties and potential for maintenance complications.
Considering the age of the airframe and the lack of new parts, it’s not surprising to hear that this particular An-22 was slated for retirement starting last year. 2024 was the year, as I understand it. So, in a way, you could say it’s gotten its wish, although perhaps not in the way anyone anticipated. The reality of keeping these aging behemoths in the air is obviously a challenge, and that challenge becomes exponentially greater with sanctions and a global environment that makes sourcing parts and expertise increasingly difficult.
Now, the comments regarding the nature of the repairs are, let’s say, colorful. There’s a certain… skepticism… about the quality of work that went into it. The suggestion of “fix-a-flat” for tires and duct tape for holding panels down is, admittedly, quite a visual. And of course, there’s the whole cigarette-and-explosives scenario. These are, of course, exaggerations designed to illustrate a point, yet, there is no question that this paints a less than reassuring picture of maintenance practices.
The overall sentiment seems to be that the outcome, while unfortunate for the plane itself, is perhaps not entirely unexpected. There’s a degree of dark humor, with comments like “Excellent news” and the inevitable “Oh, well.” There’s also a touch of cynicism regarding the official explanations for what happened, with the subtle implication that the term “special landing operation” might be the latest in a long line of euphemisms. And when you factor in the nature of repairs, you can begin to see how this particular aircraft might have faced its unfortunate fate.
The fact that the aircraft was in operation in the first place, despite being marked for retirement, highlights the pressures on the Russian military and the lengths to which they have to go to maintain operational readiness. It hints at the impact of sanctions and the difficulties in accessing modern aircraft and spare parts. This context gives a much fuller picture of what can lead to such accidents.
This particular incident seems to be framed, at least in some circles, as a consequence of systemic issues, rather than simply a one-off accident. There’s also the suggestion of possible sabotage, which, while speculative, is something to consider given the current geopolitical climate. And it does make you wonder whether any independent investigations are being undertaken.
Looking back to the comments, there’s even a reference to the Moskva warship becoming a submarine. This is just a way of pointing to a pattern of military failures that will be a consequence of poor maintenance, lack of support, and old equipment.
So, the crash of the An-22, in the end, serves as a point of reflection. It’s a snapshot of a complex situation, where the challenges of maintaining aging military equipment intersect with geopolitical pressures, questionable maintenance practices, and perhaps, a degree of fate. This “forced retirement,” as someone put it, is certainly not the way the plane was meant to leave service.