Military

Russia, Cuba agree on purchase of five Russian aircraft

RIA Novosti

22/08/2007 15:24 (Adds details, background after lead)

ZHUKOVSKY (Moscow Region), August 22 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian leasing company Ilyushin Finance and Cuba's Aviaimport SA signed Wednesday a memorandum of understanding at the MAKS-2007 air show on the delivery of two Tu-204 and three An-148 planes to Cuba.

The conditions of the memorandum have not been made public. Ilyushin Finance has already delivered three Il-96-300 and two Tu-204 liners to Cuba.

In addition, Ilyushin Finance said it plans to sign a contract Thursday with the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Building Company to buy 34 An-148 planes.

On Wednesday, Ilyushin Finance signed leasing agreements for An-148 and Tu-204 aircraft with the State Transportation Company Rossia and the Moscow-based airline Airlines-400.

The An-148 is designed for passenger, cargo-passenger and cargo transportation flights. It was first presented at Zhukovsky in 2005.

The Tu-204, a mid-range airliner seating 210 passengers, was designed as a family of passenger, cargo, mixed planes and convertible variants.

Ilyushin Finance has a 38% stake in Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).

UAC, which is 90% state owned, consolidates aircraft building companies and state assets, and engages in the manufacture, design and sale of military, civil, transport, and unmanned aircraft in a bid to streamline the Russian aviation industry.

It incorporates commercial and military aircraft makers, such as Sukhoi, Ilyushin, and Tupolev, as well as companies involved in distribution, including Aviaexport.