Sukhoi KR-860
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Russia |
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The Sukhoi KR-860 "Wings of Russia" (Russian: КР-860 «Крылья России», romanized: Kryl'ya Rossii), previously designated as the SKD-717, represented a proposed design for a double-deck wide-body superjumbo jet developed by the Russian aerospace manufacturer Sukhoi. A 1/24 scale model of this aircraft was exhibited during the 1999 Paris Air Show.
Development
This aircraft concept featured a maximum takeoff weight close to 650 tonnes and was designed to carry approximately 300 tonnes of payload. The main deck was planned to accommodate passengers in a 12-abreast seating arrangement with three aisles, while the upper deck would have featured nine seats abreast with two aisles. Its passenger capacity was estimated between 860 and 1,000 individuals. Boarding options included standard fuselage doors as well as forward and rear ventral escalators. The wing incorporated winglets and included a folding mechanism located beyond the outer engine. For context, the Antonov An-225 had a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes with a payload capacity of 250 tonnes. The model was publicly displayed at the 1999 Paris Air Show. Had it been produced, this aircraft would have held the distinction of being the largest, widest, and heaviest airliner worldwide.
The initiative for this design originated in the 1990s, with an initial projected program cost estimated at around US$10 billion (earlier figures ranged from US$4 to 5.5 billion). The plan aimed to have the first unit completed before the year 2000. Unit cost estimates ranged from US$160 to 200 million, with earlier approximations near US$150 million. Market forecasts anticipated demand for approximately 300 units, with manufacturing intended to be carried out at the Kazan Aircraft Production Association facility. While initially conceived as a passenger transport, a tanker variant named KR-860T (where T denotes Tanker) was later proposed for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to remote northern regions, such as those served by the Sakhalin LNG project. This design envisioned utilizing LNG not only as cargo but also as fuel for the engines, in contrast to conventional jet fuel usage, similar to concepts explored in the Tupolev Tu-206.
Ultimately, the KR-860 project did not advance beyond promotional scale models.
Specifications (estimated - KR-860)
See also
- Airbus A380
- Antonov An-225 Mriya
- Boeing 747-8
- Boeing New Large Airplane
- Ilyushin Il-96-400M
- Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
- McDonnell Douglas MD-12