An 990 — Antonov
The Antonov An 990 is a fascinating case study in how the internet creates and perpetuates aviation myths. While no such plane ever rolled out of a hangar in Kyiv or Ulyanovsk, its legend captures the imagination of those who dream of skies filled with impossibly large machines.
If you ever see a blueprint or photograph claiming to be the "Antonov An 990," treat it as digital folklore. The real heroes of heavy lift are the An-124 (still flying humanitarian missions), the memory of the An-225 Mriya, and the humble An-22.
In summary: The An-990 is not real. But the human wonder that keeps searching for it? That is entirely genuine.
Did you find this article helpful? If you arrived here looking for the "Antonov An 990," you now know the truth. For real heavy aviation data, research the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and the legacy of the An-225 Mriya.
The Antonov An-990 is a fictional, "super-sized" aircraft mod for flight simulators designed with exaggerated, non-existent specifications. Conceived as a massive, graphene-constructed "Air Tanker," the virtual aircraft features a 870-foot wingspan and a 6,000-tonne weight capacity. For more details, visit X-Plane.org Forums. How HUGE Can Planes Get? - Antonov An 990
Title: The Phantom of the Skies: The Story of the Antonov An-990
In the world of aviation, few names command as much respect as Antonov. The Ukrainian design bureau is responsible for some of the largest and most capable aircraft ever to grace the skies, from the massive An-225 Mriya to the versatile An-124 Ruslan. However, buried deep in the archives of Cold War aviation history lies a designation that few have heard, and even fewer have seen: the Antonov An-990.
Often referred to in speculative circles as the "Ghost of the USSR," the An-990 represents one of the great "what-ifs" of aerospace engineering—a project that promised to revolutionize transport before vanishing into the fog of history.
Following the destruction of the Mriya, China reportedly expressed interest in re-manufacturing the An-225 using leftover blueprints. This aircraft, tentatively called the CH-225, would not be an An-990 but effectively an "An-225M." As of 2025, this project remains in limbo due to engine sanctions.
The fictional An-990 is sometimes described as a "stretched An-124 with six engines"—ironically, that is exactly what the real An-225 was.
During the Cold War, the Antonov Design Bureau (now Antonov ASTC) in Kyiv, Ukraine, did explore concepts beyond the An-225. Declassified documents from the late 1980s reference studies for a "super-heavy transport" to support the Soviet Energia-Buran space program and oversize cargo for Siberian development. However, those concepts were designated An-218 (a wide-body airliner) and An-325 (a modified An-225 with extra engines).
There is no archival evidence of an "An-990." The number "990" does not fit the Soviet GURT indexing system. So where did the myth begin?
The An-990 does not roar — it pressurizes the air. Witnesses describe the sound not as loud but as deep — a felt vibration in the ribs long before the shadow arrives. When the last one flies, historians will say: The 225 was the dream. The 990 was the job.
The Antonov An-990 is a purely fictional aircraft created solely as a mod for flight simulation games like X-Plane. No real-world plane has ever been built with these specifications.
The concept behind the An-990 community creation is outlined below: 🎮 The Flight Simulator Concept Role: Massive water bomber. Purpose: Fighting extreme global wildfires. Origin: Custom community mod for X-Plane. Material: Fictionalized "graphene" construction. ⚖️ Mind-Boggling Specifications Max Weight: 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs). Wingspan: 870 feet (265.2 meters). Capacity: 600,000 gallons of fire retardant.
Scale: 3 times larger than the real-world Antonov An-225 Mriya. ✈️ Real-World Context
The actual Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov is famous for building some of the largest real planes in history. However, the An-990 is physically impossible to construct or fly with current modern technology and is strictly intended for simulator amusement.
The Antonov An-990 "Juggernaut" is a colossally-sized fictional aircraft created specifically for the X-Plane 11 flight simulator. Designed by flight-sim developer "hangglider," it is imagined as a "Graphene-constructed" ultra-giant capable of performing tasks that are physically impossible for real-world aircraft. Performance Specifications antonov an 990
The An-990 is designed to dwarf even the largest real-world aircraft, such as the Antonov An-225. Feature Specification Max Takeoff Weight 6,000 Tonnes (13.2 million lbs) Wingspan 870 feet (265.2 meters) Powerplant 6× Custom GE-990-480 Turbofans Engine Thrust 480,000 lbf (2135 kN) per engine Cargo/Liquid Capacity 600,000 Gallons (5 million lbs) Operational Guide for Flight Simulators
Operating the "Juggernaut" requires specialized techniques due to its extreme mass and cockpit height. Take-Off Procedures: Set Flaps to 3 or 4. Rotate at 145+ KIAS (knots indicated airspeed).
The aircraft is capable of taking off from water even at its full 6,000-tonne weight. Landing Procedures:
Runway Requirements: Requires at least 10,000 feet of runway with 500 feet of side clearance due to its massive wingspan.
Approach: Maintain a long approach at 165 KIAS with Flaps 3. Touchdown: Aim for 163 KIAS.
Visual Correction: Pilots must account for the extreme cockpit height above the runway to avoid "landing short".
Stopping: Use a combination of regular brakes, speedbrakes, and thrust reversers to stop within standard large-scale runways. Available Variants
The An-990 series for X-Plane includes four specialized versions:
Air-Launcher (Graphene): Designed to carry and launch other aircraft, such as a Boeing 747, mid-flight.
Buran-Launcher: Specialized for carrying and launching the Soviet Buran space shuttle.
Fire-Retardant Bomber: Equipped with a 600,000-gallon tank for massive aerial firefighting.
Water Bomber: Features water-scooping capabilities to refill its tanks from open water.
You can download the An-990 mod and find detailed community discussions on the X-Plane.Org Forums.
Antonov An-990 is a fictional, ultra-heavy aircraft created for flight simulation enthusiasts, primarily within the X-Plane 11 platform . While it bears the name of the legendary Antonov Company
, it is not a real-world project but rather a conceptual "Juggernaut" designed to push the boundaries of virtual aviation. The "Graphene Juggernaut": A Digital Titan
The An-990 is often presented as a specialized "water-bomber" designed for global firefighting missions in regions like California, Canada, and Australia. Its specifications are intentionally astronomical, dwarfing any aircraft ever actually built: : It boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 6,000 tonnes
(13.2 million lbs), which is 120 times the weight of a standard Boeing 737-100. 265.2 meters The Antonov An 990 is a fascinating case
(870 feet), its wingspan is three times larger than that of the real Antonov An-225 Mriya , the largest plane ever built. Propulsion
: It is powered by six custom GE-990-480 turbofan engines, each generating 480,000 lbf of thrust. : It can carry approximately 600,000 gallons
of fire retardant, outperforming 30 Boeing 747 Super-Tankers combined. Bridging Reality and Imagination
Although fictional, the An-990 draws inspiration from the design philosophy of Oleg Antonov , whose real-world aircraft—like the An-124 Ruslan
and the An-225—became symbols of heavy-lift capability. Developers of the An-990 mod utilize advanced materials like
in their lore to justify the physics of such a massive structure, which would be impossible to build with current aerospace technology.
In flight simulators, this aircraft offers a unique challenge: pilots must manage extreme inertia and plan landings meticulously, as only a handful of real-world runways could theoretically accommodate its massive wingspan and weight. It serves as a testament to the creativity of the aviation community, allowing enthusiasts to experience the "what if" of ultra-heavy flight. from flight simulation or dive into the real history of Antonov's heavy lifters?
The Antonov An-990 is a legendary, massive aircraft that holds the title of the largest plane ever created within flight simulation history. While the real-world Antonov company is famous for engineering colossal real-world cargo lifters like the Antonov An-225 Mriya and the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, the An-990 "Juggernaut" is a strictly fictional, community-created behemoth designed for the X-Plane flight simulator platform. ✈️ What is the Antonov An-990?
The Antonov An-990 is a freeware mod created by a flight simulation developer known as hangglider on the X-Plane.org Forums. It was built to test the extreme boundaries of physics, weight, and scale within a flight simulator.
The developer envisioned this fictional aircraft as a futuristic, graphene-constructed monster designed primarily for extreme aerial firefighting and heavy payload drops across global wildfire sites. 📊 Mind-Boggling Specifications
The digital physics and scale of the Antonov An-990 dwarf any aircraft that has ever actually flown in the real world. To comprehend just how large this simulation aircraft is, it helps to look at the raw numbers provided on its X-Plane.org download page:
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs), which is roughly 120 times heavier than a classic Boeing 737-100.
Wingspan: 870 feet (265.2 meters). This is three times the wingspan of the real-world Antonov An-225 Mriya.
Powerplants: Six custom GE-990-480 turbofan engines, each generating a massive 480,000 pounds of thrust.
Onboard Capacity: Can carry up to 600,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. 🛠️ The Four Variants of the An-990
The creator of the mod developed four distinct variations of the An-990 "Juggernaut" to give flight simulator pilots different heavy-lift challenges:
The "Air-Launcher": Designed to carry an entire Boeing 747-400 on its back, launch it mid-flight, and follow it. Did you find this article helpful
The "Buran-Launcher": Pays homage to real Antonov history by carrying a Soviet Buran Space Shuttle and launching it like a massive missile.
The "Fire-Retardant Bomber": Outfitted with massive retardant tanks to combat simulated forest fires.
The "Water Bomber": Features functional water-scooping physics allowing the pilot to refill the massive 600,000-gallon tank by skimming across a body of water. 🕹️ Flying the Beast in X-Plane
Because the plane pushes simulator engines to their absolute limit, flying the An-990 is an exercise in extreme patience and planning. Creators and simulator pilots frequently post massive takeoff and landing videos of the aircraft on platforms like YouTube.
Navigating the plane requires several unique considerations:
Runway Clearances: Pilots must find massive runways with over 500 feet of side clearance to account for the immense wingspan.
Cockpit Height: The flight deck sits so high off the ground that pilots frequently misjudge their altitude and land short of the runway.
Hardware Demand: The sheer physical size and complex model of the plane are known to cause extreme frame rate (FPS) drops on average computers.
While you will never see this aircraft gracing the skies at a real-world airshow, the Antonov An-990 stands as a fascinating testament to the creativity of the flight simulation community.
The Antonov design bureau’s numbering typically follows the An-2, An-24, An-124, An-225 sequence. The largest operational Antonov is the An-225 Mriya (only one unit, destroyed in 2022). The next in line, the An-124 Ruslan, remains in service. There is no credible project or prototype labeled An-990.
If this was a hypothetical or satirical request, here is a mock review of a “Antonov An-990” as an imagined ultra-heavy transport:
Note: The An-218 is numerically closer to "220" than "990," but it shows Antonov’s numbering pattern stopped in the 200-300 range for jets.
Let us answer the burning question immediately: No operational, mass-produced, or even fully designed prototype of the Antonov An-990 exists.
The Antonov designation system is logical but often secretive. Design numbers generally follow a chronological order of projects, whether they fly or not. The An-70 (medium transport) flew in the 1990s. The An-74 (polar transport) flew in the 1980s. The An-132 (light transport) emerged in the 2010s.
The "900" series, however, is a gray zone. The highest confirmed Antonov number for a production aircraft is the An-225 (originally designated An-224 for the Soviet space program, later revised to An-225). After the collapse of the USSR, Antonov explored numbers for conceptual projects: The An-318 (a regional jet), the An-325 (an air-launch system), and the An-700 (a helicopter concept).
So, where does "990" come from? It appears to be a typographical legend born from three sources:
Verdict: The Antonov An-990 is a ghost designation. It exists in the digital ether of forums, clickbait articles, and simulator hangars, but never on the official blueprints of the Antonov Serial Production Plant (ANPK).
The An-990 faced the same enemy that defeated many ambitious Soviet projects: economics and bureaucracy. The propulsion technology was simply too advanced for the industrial base of the time. Furthermore, with the arrival of Gorbachev and the era of Perestroika, military budgets were slashed in favor of economic restructuring.
In 1985, the An-990 project was officially suspended. The prototype, along with its unique tooling, was ordered to be scrapped to hide the expensive failure. Some aviation historians argue that the data gleaned from the An-990’s wing design was later applied to the modernized An-70 program, but the "Super-Transport" itself was lost.