Antonov An-28
Early Jet (1946–1969)
The Antonov An-28 (NATO reporting name Cash) is a Soviet twin-turboprop light STOL utility transport, designed by Antonov as the direct successor to the smaller An-14. Production was transferred to the WSK PZL Mielec plant in Poland in 1984, with about 191 airframes built between 1984 and 1992. Aeroflot took the type into service in 1986 as its principal light commuter aircraft for remote-area routes. PZL Mielec continues to build the related M28 Skytruck derivative in 2026, with orders from U.S. Special Operations Command and several Latin American air forces.
Power comes from two Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprops rated at 960 shp each. Maximum speed is 217 mph, range 510 miles, and service ceiling 19,700 ft. The cabin seats 17 passengers or carries 4,400 lb of cargo. A high parasol wing with full-span leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps gives takeoff distance of roughly 130 m and landing distance near 90 m. The fuselage incorporates a hinged rear cargo door for vehicle loading, and twin tail booms — a layout shared with the smaller Cessna 337 Skymaster — give the An-28 its distinctive silhouette.
An-28 service concentrated in Aeroflot's Soviet Far East short-haul commuter network. After PZL Mielec assumed production in 1984, the Polish factory carried the design forward into the M28 Skytruck, an upgraded derivative fitted with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65B engines, Honeywell avionics, and reworked cargo systems. M28 customers include U.S. Special Operations Command (~16 airframes for low-visibility insertion and exfiltration), plus Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian, Chinese, and other operators. More than 100 M28s have been built since the early 2000s, and production continues at Mielec in 2026.
For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version
The Antonov An-28 Cash is a Soviet-Polish twin-turboprop light plane. About 191 An-28s were built between 1984 and 1992 at PZL Mielec in Poland. The Polish factory still builds an improved version called the M28 Skytruck today. The M28 is used by American Special Operations Command and several Latin American air forces.
The An-28 is 43 feet long with a 73-foot wingspan, longer than a school bus. Two Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprop engines each make 960 horsepower. Top speed is 217 mph, faster than most cars on a highway. The plane carries 17 passengers or 4,400 pounds of cargo.
The An-28 is a STOL (short takeoff and landing) plane. It can take off in just 130 meters and land in 90 meters. Full-span wing slats and big flaps give very slow flying speeds. A rear cargo door lets trucks drive in. The An-28's twin-tail with two small fins is a Soviet trademark.
An-28s served Aeroflot in remote areas from 1986. After the Soviet Union fell, the An-28 program moved fully to Poland. The newer M28 Skytruck has better engines and avionics. American Special Operations Forces use the M28 for hard-to-reach missions in remote places.
Fun Facts
- The An-28 Cash is a Soviet-Polish twin-turboprop light plane.
- About 191 An-28s were built between 1984 and 1992 in Poland.
- The An-28 is 43 feet long, longer than a school bus.
- Top speed is 217 mph, faster than most cars on a highway.
- The An-28 can take off in just 130 meters.
- PZL Mielec still builds the M28 Skytruck version today.
- American Special Operations Forces use the M28.
Kids’ Questions
Why Soviet-Polish?
Antonov designed the An-28 in the Soviet Union (now Ukraine). But Soviet planners wanted Poland to build the plane, to share work among Warsaw Pact countries. So the An-28 was produced at PZL Mielec in Mielec, Poland from 1984. After the Soviet Union fell in 1991, the Polish factory kept building the plane on its own as the M28 Skytruck.
Why use it in special operations?
The M28 Skytruck (newer An-28) is small, rugged, and can land on tiny rough airstrips. American special operations forces drop into remote places: jungles, deserts, mountains. The M28 can use just 130 meters of dirt strip, where bigger planes need 1,000 meters or more. About 16 M28s serve with American special operations command.
Why twin tails?
The An-28 has two small vertical fins on the back of a horizontal stabilizer, instead of one big fin like most planes. Twin tails clear the slipstream from the high wings, giving better control at slow speeds. Twin tails are also common on Soviet-design planes like the An-22 and An-26. The look is a Soviet trademark.
Variants
- An-28 (basic)
- Original Polish production 1984-1992. TVD-10 engines, 17 passengers. About 191 built.
- PZL M28 Bryza (Polish military)
- Polish Air Force military variant. About 22 built. Maritime patrol and field transport service.
- PZL M28 Skytruck (modern export)
- Export derivative with PT6A-65B engines and Honeywell avionics. ~100+ built since 2000s. U.S. SOCOM, Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian operators.
Notable Operators
- Aeroflot / Russian short-haul
- Soviet/Russian commercial operator. About 60 An-28s in Soviet Far East service 1986-2010s.
- Polish Air Force / U.S. Special Operations Command
- The Polish Air Force operates M28 Bryza maritime patrol variants. U.S. SOCOM flies ~16 M28 Skytrucks for low-visibility special-operations insertion.
- Latin American air forces
- Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian, and Mexican M28 Skytruck operators. Roles centre on counter-narcotics and remote-area transport.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the An-28 different from the An-14?
The An-14 is a smaller piston-engined utility aircraft seating 8 passengers with AI-14 piston engines. The An-28 is the larger turboprop successor, seating 17 behind TVD-10 turboprops. Both share the high-wing twin-engine STOL layout, and the An-28 was designed specifically to replace the An-14.
What is the M28 Skytruck?
An upgraded Polish-built export variant of the An-28 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65B engines and Honeywell avionics. PZL Mielec continues to produce the M28 in 2026; customers include U.S. Special Operations Command (~16 airframes for insertion/exfiltration missions) and several Latin American air forces.
Why does U.S. Special Operations buy a Russian-derived aircraft?
The PZL M28 Skytruck offers STOL performance Western alternatives such as the Cessna Caravan and DHC-6 Twin Otter cannot match — 130 m takeoff and 90 m landing distance fully loaded. U.S. SOCOM flies M28s for low-visibility insertion and exfiltration in austere environments where landing strip length is the binding constraint. Polish (NATO-aligned) production also sidesteps the geopolitical complications of buying directly from Russian factories.
How many An-28s were built?
About 191 original An-28s rolled out of PZL Mielec, Poland between 1984 and 1992, plus more than 100 M28 Skytruck variants since the early 2000s. Combined family production exceeds 290 airframes, and M28 production continues at Mielec in 2026.
Sources
See Also
- Antonov An-14 — Direct piston-engined predecessor
- Antonov An-2 — Sister Antonov utility biplane
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain — Western utility transport equivalent
- Antonov An-26 — Larger Antonov field-airlift sister
- Cessna 208 Caravan — Western light single-turboprop alternative