Русский
Aeroflot have signed a contract on the supply and post-sale servicing of 90 MC-21 aircraft, with the signing ceremony at Sheremetyevo Airport. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended via video link.
Under the terms of the deal, Aeroflot will receive the aircraft between 2029 and 2032. An initial 14 aircraft will be delivered in 2029, 18 in 2030, 24 in 2031 and 34 in 2032. The contract also includes the supply of flight simulators, flight crew training services and post-sale maintenance for a period of 22 years. Manufacturing each aircraft takes between 18 months to two years.
On behalf of Rostec, the purchase order was signed by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) , the leasing company Aviacapital-Service, and United Engine Corporation (UEC). Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov said that the contract with Aeroflot ensures a clear production workload for years to come and lays the foundation for the systematic ramp-up of serial production. UAC CEO Vadim Badekha announced plans to establish a strategic partnership with Aeroflot focused on the efficient entry into service of the new aircraft. Maintenance for the MC-21s to be delivered to Aeroflot will be handled by UAC.
Prior to this, Aeroflot operated a fleet of 112 Airbus and 59 Boeings worth about US$42 billion. That market has now disappeared, with Russia embarking on a development programme to manufacture its own aircraft, initially to service its own needs but later to develop an export market.
This is the second significant contract for the delivery of MC-21 aircraft between Aeroflot and Rostec, with the first signed in 2023, covering 18 aircraft. Delivery of the first eight jets is expected in the fourth quarter of 2027, with the remaining ten arriving in 2028. During the initial phase of operations, the plan is to deploy the aircraft on short-haul routes, such as Moscow-St. Petersburg and Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod, where backup capacity can be arranged quickly and high-level technical support is already in place.
The MC-21 is a medium-haul passenger aircraft with a capacity of up to 211 passengers. The airliner was originally developed through international cooperation. However, foreign partners withdrew from the project following sanctions being imposed against Russia, thus necessitating an accelerated import-substitution program for systems and components. Chemezov previously said that the completion of certification flights and the launch of serial production for the import-substituted, wholly Russian manufactured version of the MC-21 are scheduled for 2027.
