The An-26 is a medium transport aircraft powered by two turboprop engines, developed at the Antonov design bureau in the USSR based on the An-24 passenger aircraft. The prototype was first flown in 1969. The aircraft can carry 5,500 kg of cargo, 30 paratroopers or 24 stretchers. The crew consists of 2 pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer and a radio operator.
At the rear of the fuselage there is an opening ramp that can be lowered for loading and air drops. It is possible to transport and airdrop vehicles, such as UAZ off-road cars. In the right engine nacelle, an additional RU-19A jet engine with a thrust of 7.85 kN is mounted, serving to assist takeoff with heavy loads from high-altitude airfields and as an auxiliary power unit.
In 1972, the Polish military aviation purchased 12 An-26 aircraft. They were operated by the 13th Regiment, and subsequently the 13th Transport Aviation Squadron at Krakow-Balice until early 2009. They are also used in civil aviation for cargo transport. A total of 1,410 examples were produced, which entered service in 27 countries.
| Wingspan | 29,2 m |
| Length | 23,8 m |
| Takeoff weight | 24000 kg |
| Maximum speed | 540 km/h |
| Ceiling | 7500 m |
| Range | 2700 km |
| Armament | – |
| Engine | two AI-24WT turboprop engines, 2,820 hp, and auxiliary RU-19A-300 jet engine with 8.8 kN thrust |
