Manufacturer: Antonov

Model: An-94

Name: "Mantis" / "Crawler" (NATO codenames)

Type: Early warning platform / transport

Date: 1990

Status: Experimental

Country: Soviet Union

Service: Soviet Air Force

Designation: An-94

The Antonov An-94 (NATO: "Mantis") was a development of the An-72 with the engines lowered to the bottom of the fuselage sides to make room for an AEW radome. This aircraft was part of the same requirement as the unbuilt Yak-44.

A transport variant (NATO: "Crawler") was identical except the radome was replaced by various test vehicles carried piggy-back.

What I did here is basically what the synopsis above says: took an An-72, lowered the engines to the bottom of the fuselage sides and added an AEW radome (from a Grumman Hawkeye I think

Actually I'm not sure about the aerodynamics. Perhaps the jet flow from the engines might interact with the way the flaps and ailerons work.

• Good work. (ONI-Defense)
• "The Russians did develop an AEW version of the An-72. They just added the rotodome atop the rudder and canted said fin forward. This was supposedly proposed for use on Soviet aircraft carriers, though it seems a little large for that purpose." (Jschmus)
• "About your An-94 and real-world An-71: yes, the reality could be more weird and strange than our fantasy..." (redstar72)
• Sorry to be a jerk, but don't Russian AWACS aircraft get assigned a "M" ASCC designator, as in Moss or Madcap. So maybe "Mayday" or "Mongoose" would be better. (David R. Townend)

You're not being a jerk, not even a JMN or whatever folks on the forums call them... You said something extremely relevant and spot on! Yes, David, you're right. This can't be the Crawler! Okay, Let's call it the Mantis then... The Crawler will be the piggyback transport version!