Intermittent commitment from the Russian side plagued the project, as Russia owed the programme an outstanding debt for the three years through 2009. According to various reports, Russia's conflict with Georgia in August 2008 highlighted the need for an airlifter in the class of the An-70, one that had a spacious cargo bay and the ability to operate from unpaved airstrips. Consequently, in August 2009, both countries agreed to resume development of the An-70. Ukraine continued to pursue flight testing of the sole prototype while making upgrades to the aircraft's avionics, sensors and propulsion system. It was reported that the Ukrainian Air Force would take delivery of its first two An-70s in 2011 and 2012; Volga-Dnepr Airlines had also signed an MoU with Antonov for five commercial-standard An-70Ts. A requirement for 60 An-70s was included in Russia's 2011–2020 national armament programme when it was issued in December 2010.