1 month ago 17

Farewell, Boeing and Airbus: Russian Aircraft Industry Goes Fully Domestic

The Russian government adopted a comprehensive program to expand the production of domestic aircraft, engines and equipment to accelerate the import substitution effort in the face of Western sanctions.

Russia is taking the final step toward creating its own aircraft industry, completely independent of the US’ Boeing and France’s Airbus industry giants. All thanks to Russia’s completely domestically produced Yakovlev MC-21 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SJ-100) planes.

Russian Airliners

Debut flights of MC-21 and SJ-100 aircraft with domestic engines are planned for 2025. This landmark event will demonstrate Russia's ability to not only to design and build modern airliners, but also to eliminate dependence on Western suppliers for components, the country’s Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov said.

MC-21 is a new generation medium-haul single-aisle airliner, developed by the Yakovlev Corporation, and its production is scheduled for 2025. Serial production of the MC-21 is underway, with the planes awaiting completion of certification tests.

Airlines can expect to receive at least 10 such craft in 2025. Production facilities may be ready to produce 36 aircraft of that type annually in about three years’ time, according to Russian experts.

🇷🇺✈️ How Western sanctions speeded up Russian aircraft production

SJ-100 and the MS-21-310 passenger planes have become the pioneers of import substitution in the domestic aviation industry, according to Deputy General Director and Head of Strength Complex of the Central… pic.twitter.com/bWKAHXi4NS

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) March 19, 2024

Russian Engines

The PD-14 turboprop engine for the MC-21 aircraft is ready, with certification flights set for late March-early April 2025.

Certification flights of the SJ100 short-haul regional passenger jet with the domestic PD-8 engine are to begin next year as well. Ground tests of this engine are coming to an end.

Currently in development is the PD-35 prospective ultra-high thrust turbofan engine for long-range airliners and military transport aircraft.

Back in the mid-2010s, the bulk of the avionics was supplied from abroad. In 2022, amid Western sanctions over Ukraine, the European Union banned the supply of civilian aircraft and spare parts to Russia and obligated lessors to terminate contracts with Russian airlines. Aircraft maintenance and insurance services were also been banned, with full import substitution becoming a determining factor in the viability of Russian aircraft.