# So why are the Australians considering Westernized Antonov's AN-124's???



## Cdn Blackshirt (16 Dec 2005)

See Link:  http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51619

Is this a leverage play only to get Boeing to cut them a deal?



M.   ???


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## FoverF (21 Dec 2005)

Well, that's obviously a side benefit, but the answer is much simpler.

-The An-124 is the best strategic transport out there. 

It's a foreign-owned (east bloc no less), civilian asset, and yet when was the last time the US, or Britain, or even Canada went on a major overseas deployment without them? 

Most militaries need them on a very irregular basis, and so chartering them is far more economical. There are a lot more nations who would actually be better served by purchasing some (I may even be so bold as to say that Canada might fit into this category right now). And if you're going to operate them outside of eastern europe, you COULD be better off with western engines, and a lesser extent, avionics. 

But the fact is that political considerations don't allow this in most considerations. Every military in the world that does long-range deployments has considered buying An-124s. And those for whom it really is a good option usually are vetoed by political considerations.


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