The Peruvian Ministry of the Interior annulled a tender valued at US$63 million for the acquisition of an An-74 transport aircraft after the discovery of a scheme involving falsified documents and the offer of a plane that, in practice, did not exist.
According to information published by the specialized portal Pucará Defensa and confirmed by Ukrainian authorities, intermediaries linked to the Russian Federation attempted to facilitate the sale through the company Aero Express FZE, registered in the United Arab Emirates, which operated as a shell company.
The fraud was uncovered thanks to joint work by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Antonov. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that the company presented false information to prove its ability to supply the aircraft to the Peruvian government.
Forged documentation and lack of official license
The investigation conducted by Peruvian authorities found that the documentation submitted by Aero Express FZE — including alleged representation rights from the manufacturer — was forged. The company did not have any official license from Antonov, which is the sole legal holder of the production and commercialization rights to 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 unit even more unlikely.
In light of the evidence, the Peruvian Ministry of the Interior decided to immediately invalidate the tender results, ending any possibility of contract continuity.
C-27J Spartan emerges as alternative
With the cancellation of the agreement, the Italian C-27J Spartan transport aircraft has emerged 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 in logistical support missions, tactical transport, and operations in hard-to-reach regions.
The choice of the C-27J is seen as a low-operational-risk solution, since the aircraft is already integrated into the local fleet, has established logistical support, and remains in active production — unlike the An-74.
The episode reinforces the challenges faced by countries seeking to modernize their air fleets in a global scenario marked by international sanctions, fragmented industrial supply chains, and attempts at circumvention through intermediaries.
Source and images: Pucará Defense | Militarnyi | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
