About Antonov AN-32:
- It is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft.
- It is designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau of Ukraine.
- It was purchased by India from the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1984.
- Its Nato reporting name is Cline.
- Features:
- The AN-32 can be operated at high-altitude airfields (up to 4500 m above sea level) and in a hot climate, making the aircraft suitable for tactical military transport or other evacuation operations.
- It can carry a maximum weight of 27 tons at a maximum speed of 530 km/h.
- Passenger Capacity: 42 paratroopers or 50 passengers or 24 Casualties on a stretcher with three medical personnel.
- It also has a limited bombing role and is used for para-trooping operations.
What is a turboprop aircraft?
- A turboprop aircraft uses a turbo-prop engine rather than a piston-powered engine or a jet engine.
- They have one or more gas-turbine engines connected to a gearbox that turns the propeller(s) to move the aircraft on the ground and through the air.
- Turboprop aircraft have lower operating costs than jets because they burn less fuel, but they are also slower than jets.
