Silk Way Airlines (ZP, Baku Heydar Aliev International) has signed a firm order with the Antonov Design Bureau (Gostomel) for ten An-178 cargo jets thereby making it the launch customer/operator. The announcement was made in Ukraine following the type's maiden flight late last week.
China's Beijing A-Star Airspace and Technology also signed a Letter of Intent with the Ukrainians for two hulls and also discussed the possibility of assembling the aircraft in China itself.
Based on the An-158, the An-178 is being touted as a replacement for outdated An-12s, An-26s and An-32s still in service throughout the CIS, the Middle Eastern, and North African markets.
