Antonov An-225: It Will Cost At Least Ђ500 Million To Rebuild The World’s Largest Airplane

After examining what is left of the aircraft, experts have estimated that Ђ500 million is the sum needed to bring the Antonov An-225 back to life.


Photo: Getty Images

In the very early stage of the Ukrainian conflict, the Russian troops destroyed the world's largest aircraft, the Antonov An-225, at Antonov's base, Hostomel Airport. Now, the manufacturer is committed to rebuilding the majestic aircraft. However, everything about this plane seems enormous, including the price of bringing it back to life.

Ђ500 million to bring the Antonov An-225 back to life

After the terrible damage that the world's largest aircraft suffered in the early days of the Ukrainian conflict, the Kyiv-based manufacturer, Antonov, has made public the amount of money it would need to rebuild the giant plane.

After inspecting what is left of the Antonov An-225, experts have estimated that Ђ500 million (USD 500 million) will be needed to reconstruct the mega aircraft. Nonetheless, the Ukrainian manufacturer has also stated it is too soon to talk about a precise amount of money. Therefore, the exact sum will be made public at a second stage.

What happened to the Antonov An-225?

In the early days of the Ukrainian conflict, Russian troops immediately targeted Hostomel Airport (GML) northwest of Kyiv. The airfield is known to be the base of the Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov, which uses the airport for its cargo airline and test flights.

A few days before Russia began its military invasion of Ukraine, the Antonov An-225 had landed at the facility, reportedly for maintenance. However, this would be the last time that "Mriya," meaning "the dream" or "inspiration," would take to the skies. Indeed, the aircraft was the target of military action from the Russian troops that destroyed it.


Photo: Getty Images

Back in May, Illia Ponomarenko, a defense correspondent for the Kyiv Independent, posted a Tweet that clearly showed the degree of destruction and damage suffered by the Antonov An-225. In Ponomarenko's video, it is clearly visible how the front part of the aircraft has collapsed to the ground, with the cockpit of the giant airliner being almost completely separated from the rest of the plane. While the further part of the fuselage is reduced to a pile of wreckage, the rear part behind the wings is relatively intact.

Antonov's airport: a strategic stronghold for Russian troops

Why did Russian troops target Hostomel Airport at the start of the conflict in the first place?

The airfield, a few kilometers northwest of Kyiv, represented a strategic stronghold for the invading army. Once the airport's control had been ensured, Russia could have transferred its troops and equipment to Antonov's base by air, orchestrating a rapid and large-scale assault on Kyiv. Although Hostomel Airport was under Russian control for some time, the Ukrainian troops managed to prevent the airfield from being used for such a purpose. Following the clashes between the two troops, the airport was no longer functional.


Photo: Getty Images

A second Antonov An-225 is already underway. But will it ever take to the skies?

The first Antonov An-225 "Mryia" was built to support the Soviet space program, Buran. Its role was to carry the program's orbiters, and its first flight dates back to 1988.

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Although the Soviet space program ordered two exemples of the giant aircraft, it only took delivery of Mryia. Indeed, with the fall of the Soviet Union, the Buran program also came to an end. Consequently, the first Antonov An-225 was placed into storage, while the construction of the second one was halted.


Photo: Getty Images

With the start of the new century, the Antonov An-225 was brought to the attention of many, mainly for cargo purposes. Mryia returned to service, and Antonov planned to finish the second one. In 2006, the manufacturer aimed to have the second six-engined plane complete by 2008. However, construction works were soon delayed; by 2011, USD 300 million was reported as the sum needed to finish the aircraft.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the following economic downward pressure, Antonov decided it was economically unviable for the manufacturer to carry on with the construction of the second aircraft.