The Peruvian Ministry of the Interior canceled a tender worth $63 million for the acquisition of an An-74 transport aircraft after the discovery of a scam with forged documents and the offer of an aircraft that did not actually exist.
According to information published by the specialized portal Pucará Defensa and confirmed by Ukrainian authorities, intermediaries with links to the Russian Federation tried to carry out the sale through the company Aero Express FZE, registered in the United Arab Emirates, which acted as a shell company.
The fraud was revealed thanks to joint work between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Antonov. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that the company presented false information to prove its ability to deliver the plane to the Peruvian government.
Falsified documentation and lack of official license
The investigation by Peruvian authorities determined that the documentation provided by Aero Express FZE — including alleged representation rights from the manufacturer — was falsified. The company had no official license from Antonov, which is the sole legal holder of the rights to manufacture and sell the Antonov An-74.
Another warning sign identified during the process was that serial production of new An-74 aircraft has been halted for over a decade, making the delivery of a new or fully certified example even more unlikely.
Based on the evidence, the Peruvian Ministry of the Interior immediately decided to annul the results of the tender and end any possibility of continuing the contract.
The C-27J Spartan appears as an alternative
With the cancellation of the agreement, the Italian transport aircraft C-27J Spartan emerges as the main candidate to replace the An-74 in the Peruvian program. The model has been in service with the Peruvian Air Force since 2015 and is widely used for logistical support, tactical transport and operations in hard-to-reach areas.
The choice of the C-27J is seen as a solution with low operational risk, as the aircraft is already integrated into the local fleet, has established logistical support and is still in active production — unlike the An-74.
The episode underscores the challenges countries face as they try to modernize their air fleets in a global scenario characterized by international sanctions, fragmented industrial supply chains and attempted circumvention through middlemen.
Source and images: Pucará Defense | Militarnyi | Wikimedia. This content is created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
