[1] Aeroprakt of Kyiv began design of the A-22 in February 1990, with the first prototype making its maiden flight on 21 October 1996, and a German-certified version entering production in 1999.

[6] The A-22's structure is almost completely metal with the engine cowling, wing fillets and wheel spats made of composites.

The aircraft has excellent visibility, due to the large amount of glazing, including convex doors, that allow the occupants to look straight down.

Faced with a lack of long-range precision weapon systems and restrictions on the use of Western-supplied cruise missiles, Ukraine began developing loitering munitions to strike strategic targets located deep inside Russian territory.

Initially the Ukrainian Armed Forces made use of converted fixed-wing aircraft procured from the civilian market, such as the A-22.