newstodate.aero

Mar 01, 2022 (newstodate): Despite the current war situation in Ukraine, NATO can rest assured of its crucial uplift capacity provided by Antonov Logistics SALIS.
   -We have two AN-124 freighters permanently operating for NATO every day, and so far we see no immediate problems with maintenance despite the lack of access to Antonov's base facilities in Kiev, says Andriy Cherniavskyi, Antonov Logistics SALIS Managing Director.
   -We have an own maintenance base at Leipzig Halle Airport with a sufficient stock of spares and components to cover the needs over the coming two or three months, and then we will work out a solution for the longer term. We hope to be able to cope with the situation.
   Only in November 2021, NATO extended its existing contract with SALIS for another five years when the Ukrainian company will permanently base two AN-124 Ruslan aircraft at Leipzig Halle Airport, with provisions for further aircraft capacity as needed.
   The Ruslan SALIS GmbH, then a joint venture between Russia's Volga-Dnepr Group and Ukraine's ADB Antonov, was first set up in 2006 to supply AN-124-100 freighter aircraft to NATO to satisfy the requirements of its Strategic Airlift Interim Solution, SALIS, project pending the build-up of own NATO uplift capacity with Airbus A400M aircraft to provide the alliance with strategic cargo capacity.
   Due to the rift in 2016 between Ukraine and Russia, the cooperation between the Volga-Dnepr Group and Antonov was however abrogated, putting the SALIS program at risk.   
   However, a new contract was signed in 2019 with Ukraine's Antonov to provide airlift capacity for another three-years period that was since repeatedly extended, with the last period expiring in 2022 until renewed again in 2021.
   Antonov now operates a total of five AN-124 Ruslan freighters safely outside Ukraine.
   Currently parked at Leipzig Halle Airport are today also three Russian AN-124 aircraft, effectively guarded as sanctions were imposed, and with no access allowed.