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.

By: Aviation Historical Review

| Claimed Spec (An-990) | Reality Check | | :--- | :--- | | "Can carry 4 battle tanks" | An-225 carried 3. 4 would require 800-tonne MTOW. | | "Range of 25,000 km" | Only possible with zero payload. Fuel weight alone exceeds limit. | | "Built in 2003" | Antonov records show no production in 2003 beyond An-74s. | | "Engines: 10x Kuznetsov NK-93" | NK-93 was a propfan (never serial produced). Fitting 10 is impossible. | If you are searching for the true spiritual successor to the Antonov heavy-lifters, look away from the fictional An-990 and toward three real projects: 1. The Chinese "An-225 Copy" (AECC & AVIC) 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. 2. The Windrunner (Radia) An American startup, Radia, is building the Windrunner — a cargo aircraft designed to carry 72+ tonnes of wind turbine blades. While smaller than an An-225, its wingspan (80 meters) rivals the Mriya. This is the closest real aircraft to the mythical An-990 in terms of "oversized logistics." 3. The Airlander 10 (Hybrid Air Vehicles) Not a fixed-wing aircraft, but a modern airship capable of lifting 50 tonnes. Many futurists predict that the era of the 1,000-tonne fixed-wing jet is over; heavy lift will revert to hybrid airships (which would dwarf any "An-990"). Conclusion: The Dream That Never Took Off 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?

Among these searches, one phantom number repeatedly surfaces: .