Often the An-12 is compared with the C-130 since both are large and durable transport planes. However, the A-123 civilian-military transport was never mass produced in as many variants as the C-130. The maiden flight of the An-12 prototype was made in 1958. By 1973 when the former Soviet Union stopped production of this plane, a total of 900 aircraft had been made. The An-12 Cub served in a number of air forces such as in Argentina, China, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Poland, Yugslovia, etc. The civilian version has been used by many national airlines, such as those of the former Soviet Union, Guinea, China, Poland and many Balkan countries. Even into the mid-90’s there were a number of An-12 Cubs serving in the Russian Air Force although most of these planes were replaced by the more modern IL-76 by then. The An-12 also participated in the former Soviet-Afghanistan military operation in the 1980’s. It’s primary function in this conflict was to transport fully armed paratroopers.