Prototype (7900101), built at Irkutsk, flew 16 December 1957, with Kuznetsov NK-4 turboprops, as rear-loading development of An-10 airliner; more than 900 built with AI-20K engines for military and civil use, ending in USSR in 1973; An-12BP ("Cub") was standard medium-range paratroop and cargo transport of Soviet Military Transport Aviation (VTA) from 1959; replacement with Il-76 began 1974, but about 170 remain in air force service, plus at least 25 An-12BK/PP/PPS "Cub-A/B/C/D" electronic warfare conversions in air forces and Naval Aviation. More than 100 (of 183 originally exported) are used by nine other air forces; further 190 flown by some 70 freight airlines. Shaanxi Aircraft Company, China, manufactures redesigned Yunshuji-8 (Y-8) transport version and derivatives.