Ukraine's Antonov Design Bureau (Gostomel) is eyeing global expansion after having severed ties with Russia's Volga-Dnepr Group last year. Air Cargo News reports that the heavy cargo specialist has set up offices in London, the US and Hong Kong, and has appointed a sales manager to Japan and Australia for its cargo charter operator Antonov Airlines (ADB, Gostomel).

The agreement with Volga-Dnepr was a joint marketing venture, and with its dissolution the two are now operating independently in the market. Antonov has now begun working with a number of different companies across the globe to extend the service life of its freighters. Among these are Dunlop, whose tyres it is using on its An-124 and An-225 aircraft to attain their maximum payload of 150 tonnes with an improved lifespan. Other partners include Honeywell Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Dowty Propellers and Zodiac Aerospace.

According to the Antonov press office, it has also recently signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding with Turkish and Saudi companies to work together on avionics and other solutions. These include Turkey's Aselsan, for collaboration on the An-148-100, An-158 and An-178 aircraft families; and Saudi Arabian firm Taqnia Aeronautics Company and Turkey's Havelsan for the manufacture of maritime patrol aircraft based on the An-132.