The An-72 is an Antonov-designed short takeoff and landing jet transport built for austere airstrips, with over-wing D-36 engines using blown flaps and the Coanda effect for lift augmentation. Antonov records Kharkiv production from 1984 to 1992, while conflict evidence includes An-72-family aircraft destroyed on the ground in occupied Crimea in 2026 and at Khartoum International Airport during the 2023 Sudan War.
Ukrainian and Ukrainian-linked reporting said an April 2, 2026 USF/HUR strike at Kirovske airfield in occupied Crimea destroyed an An-72P or An-72-family aircraft alongside Orion drone infrastructure and a P-37 radar. Later aviation reporting identified the aircraft as possibly a long-stored An-72PS airframe, so the direct claim is limited to a Russian-controlled An-72-family aircraft destroyed on the ground.
Role detailsOryx listed Sudanese government An-72 ST-PRM among Sudanese Air Force or government aircraft destroyed at Khartoum International Airport during the 2023 Sudan War; the evidence supports a ground loss of a government transport aircraft, not a documented sortie.
The An-72's catalog relevance is its logistics and patrol utility from short or poorly prepared strips rather than a primary strike role. Antonov describes a 600 m non-equipped-strip requirement, while GlobalSecurity details the rear loading ramp and troop, passenger, casualty, and airdrop arrangements that made the airframe useful for military transport work.
Over-wing turbofans blow exhaust across the wing and flap surfaces to augment lift during takeoff and landing.
Designed around short takeoff and landing from non-equipped airstrips about 600 m long.
A rear ramp and sliding rear fairing support loading, airdrop, and mixed passenger or casualty configurations.
The An-72 family spans STOL transports, freight and executive layouts, electronic-intelligence prototypes, armed patrol aircraft, and adjacent An-71 and An-74 derivatives. Antonov supports the An-74 as the cold-weather modification, while GlobalSecurity supports the An-72P patrol-aircraft armament context.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| An-72A | Initial production STOL transport | The production transport version incorporated the longer fuselage and increased-span configuration that followed the prototype and preproduction aircraft. Sources: Wikipedia An-72, GlobalSecurity An-72 COALER |
| An-72AT | Freight transport | Variant lists identify the An-72AT as a freight configuration adapted for standard international cargo containers. Sources: Wikipedia An-72 |
| An-72S | Executive and convertible transport | The An-72S appears in reference material as a VIP transport that could also be reconfigured for freight, passenger transport, or medical evacuation. Sources: Wikipedia An-72 |
| An-72P | Maritime patrol and armed patrol aircraft | GlobalSecurity describes the An-72P with observation windows, cameras, liferaft provision, and offensive stores including rocket pods, a podded cannon, and bombs dropped through the rear ramp. Sources: GlobalSecurity An-72 COALER |
| An-72R / An-72BR | Electronic intelligence prototype | Variant lists identify the An-72R or An-72BR as an ELINT prototype with conformal antenna fairings along the fuselage. Sources: Wikipedia An-72 |
 | Arctic and Antarctic support derivative | Antonov describes the An-74 as an An-72 modification for ice patrol and transport missions supporting scientific research operations in the Central Arctic Basin and Antarctic. Sources: Antonov AN-74 history |
The An-72P patrol variant added limited offensive stores to the STOL transport airframe.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 23 mm aircraft cannon | Defence Blog identifies the An-72P as armed with a 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, and GlobalSecurity describes the patrol variant with a podded cannon among its offensive stores. Sources: Defence Blog Kirovske An-72P caveat, GlobalSecurity An-72 COALER |
Antonov dates the joint Soviet aviation-industry, air force, and civil-aviation development decision for a light military transport aircraft to May 16-27, 1974.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
Antonov records the first An-72 prototype leaving the assembly shop on May 6, 1977.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
The first An-72 flew on August 31, 1977, with Volodymyr Terskyi as captain, according to Antonov's chronology.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
Antonov records the first An-72P patrol flight on November 29, 1984.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
Antonov says the first production An-72, serial number 01-01, flew at Kharkiv on December 22, 1985.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
Antonov's chronology places the start of production An-72 service entry in May 1987.
Sources: Antonov AN-72 history
Ukrainian and Ukrainian-linked reporting said an April 2, 2026 strike at Kirovske airfield in occupied Crimea destroyed a Russian An-72P patrol aircraft alongside Orion drone infrastructure and a P-37 radar system.
Sources: Kyiv Independent Kirovske An-72P strike, Ukrainska Pravda Kirovske An-72P strike, Militarnyi Kirovske An-72P strike
