Antonov An 990 Online
Designed in the 2040s to answer a world demanding heavier renewable energy infrastructure (monster wind turbine blades, fusion reactor modules) and point-to-point space-launch support. The An-990 exists to carry what cannot be split, driven, or sailed.
The Antonov An-990 is a beautiful lie—a testament to our collective desire to see humanity push the boundaries of flight. It represents the "what if" of Soviet engineering: What if the USSR had not collapsed? What if the Buran space program had continued? What if weight and drag were merely suggestions?
The reality is that Antonov built exactly one An-225, the greatest aircraft to ever fly. It did so not with ten engines, but with six. It did so not with a 130-meter wingspan, but with 88.4 meters of pure Ukrainian titanium genius.
For now, the An-990 remains a phantom on Wikipedia edit histories and a dream in flight simulator mods. The next time you see a clickbait article claiming "Russia revives the An-990 Super-Cossack," remember: The biggest bird that ever roared is gone. And no ghost in the numbering system can replace it.
Rest in peace, Mriya (An-225). And rest in peace, the fictional An-990—born of keyword algorithms, not of Antonov.
Further Reading:
Correction Note: Some sources confuse the "An-990" with the An-70-900 proposal (a stretched military transport with 8 propfans). That project was real but never left the CAD stage. However, the "An-70-900" is frequently misread as "An-990" in poor photocopies of Russian industry magazines from 1998. This is likely the true origin of the myth.
The Antonov An-990 "Graphene" is a fictional, fan-made aircraft designed specifically for the X-Plane 11 flight simulator. It is not a real-world plane produced by the actual Antonov Company.
Designed by community member hangglider, the An-990 is modeled as a "Juggernaut" aerial fire-fighter and heavy transport. It gained significant attention through flight simulation content creators like Swiss001, who showcased its "extreme" scale and capabilities. Fictional Specifications
The aircraft is designed with absurdly large dimensions and weights to test the limits of the flight simulator:
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs), which is roughly 10 times the weight of the real-world Antonov An-225 Mriya. Wingspan: 870 feet (265.2 meters). Length: 826.8 feet (252 meters).
Engines: Six custom GE-990-480 turbofans, each providing 480,000 lbf of thrust.
Fire-Fighting Capacity: It can carry 600,000 gallons (2,270 tonnes) of water or fire retardant. Features in X-Plane
The "Graphene" mod includes several unique features for players to experiment with in a simulated environment:
Water-Scooping: Functional "water-scoop" switches for aerial firefighting simulations.
Size Comparison: The plane is so massive that other large aircraft, like a Boeing 747, can be carried on its back or look tiny beside it.
Custom Modding: The file includes specialized FMOD sounds, a VR-Mod for virtual reality pilots, and custom night lighting.
Watch this fictional giant in action as it demonstrates its massive scale and firefighting capabilities in a flight simulator: How HUGE Can Planes Get? - Antonov An 990 YouTube• Jul 10, 2021 AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more 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. 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.
By: Aviation Historical Review
Introduction: The Ghost of the Runway
In the pantheon of aviation legends, few names command as much respect as Antonov. The Ukrainian (formerly Soviet) design bureau is synonymous with giants: the An-2 "Colt," the An-124 "Ruslan," and the one-of-a-kind An-225 "Mriya." For decades, aviation enthusiasts have scoured the internet, forums, and speculative design studies looking for the "next big thing."
Among these searches, one phantom number repeatedly surfaces: Antonov An-990.
To the casual observer, it seems logical. If the An-225 is a six-engine behemoth derived from the An-124, surely the "An-990" must be the ultimate flying leviathan—perhaps a ten-engine, double-decker cargo hauler designed to lift spaceships or entire power plants. However, the truth about the An-990 is far more complex, fascinating, and shrouded in misinformation.
This article is the definitive deep dive into the Antonov An-990. We will explore why this specific model number generates such intense curiosity, separate fact from Soviet-era fiction, and reveal what aircraft (if any) actually exists behind the myth.
The claim: The An-990 is rumored to be a six-engine, double-deck behemoth with a payload of 500+ tons, designed to carry three main battle tanks or a disassembled space shuttle.
The reality: It does not exist. Any online mention of the An-990 likely stems from fan-made CGI, mislabeled models, or forum speculation.
What works (if real):
What doesn’t work:
Verdict: As a real aircraft, the An-990 is a myth. As a concept, it’s an engineer’s fantasy but a logistician’s nightmare. Stick to the proven An-124 – or wait for an actual new Antonov design.
Rating: ⭐⭐ (purely for creative ambition, minus three stars for lacking hardware).
If you meant a different Antonov model (e.g., An-70, An-178, An-225), let me know, and I’ll provide an accurate technical review.
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
Antonov An-990 "Graphene" is a fictional, ultra-heavy transport aircraft created for the X-Plane 11 and 12
flight simulation community. It is not a real aircraft manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau Overview of the An-990
Designed as a "Juggernaut" concept for virtual pilots, the An-990 is intended for extreme firefighting and cargo missions. Because its dimensions are physically impossible for real-world aviation, the lore suggests it is constructed primarily of to handle its gargantuan proportions. X-Plane.Org Forum Colossal Water-Bomber / Heavy Air-Launcher Fictional concept for X-Plane.Org Nine times the payload of the real-world Antonov An-225. X-Plane.Org Forum Simulated Specifications The An-990 dwarfs any existing aircraft, including the Antonov An-225 Mriya
870 feet (265.2 meters)—roughly three times larger than the An-225. 826.8 feet (252 meters). Max Takeoff Weight: 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs). Designed in the 2040s to answer a world
Six custom GE-990-480 turbofans, each producing 480,000 lbf of thrust. Firefighting: Can carry 600,000 gallons of fire retardant or water. X-Plane.Org Forum Variations in Simulation
The aircraft is often released in a series of "Air, Space, Fire, and Water" versions: X-Plane.Org Forum Air-Launcher:
Capable of launching other planes, such as a Boeing 747, in-flight. BURAN-Launcher: Designed to launch the Buran space shuttle. Fire/Water Bomber:
Specialized for fighting massive wildfires with high-capacity discharge and water-scooping features. X-Plane.Org Forum Operational Constraints
In simulators, the An-990 is so large that it is incompatible with most standard airports. Runway Requirements:
Requires roughly 10,000 feet for landing and significant side clearance (over 500 feet). Water Operations:
All versions are capable of taking off from and landing on water at maximum weight. X-Plane.Org Forum download links or information on real-world Antonov cargo giants like the An-124 Ruslan
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.
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. Further Reading:
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.
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
(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?
