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). antonov an 990
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 "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). The claim: The An-990 is rumored to be
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. What doesn’t work:
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
If any Antonov deserved a "9" prefix, it was the An-22. But the bureau never used triple digits.
While the An-990 is a myth, Antonov did study aircraft that would have carried a "900-series" logic. After the success of the An-225, the OKB (Experimental Design Bureau) drafted two major upgrades:
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.