MC21 / MS21 - Program
The much-anticipated MC-21 aircraft, touted to become a direct rival of the Boeing-737 and Airbus 320, was rolled out for official presentation in Irkutsk, Russia on 08 June 2016. Serial production of the medium- and short-range passenger jet was planned for 2017. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, the umbrella organization that owns Irkut Corporation - the actual developer of the plane - held an international presentation of the new aircraft. Building the jet reportedly cost 100 billion rubles (approximately US$3.5 billion).
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who congratulated the national aircraft industry, as MC-21 became the first Russia’s medium-range passenger aircraft developed this century. “This is a huge victory for our aviation industry and Irkut Corporation, our scientists, designers, engineers and workers,” Medvedev said. “I’m sure this is going to be a good machine, reliable and efficient.”
The Yak-242 was an all-new twinjet program shelved in the late-1990s in the days when customers and state funds for Russia's civil aerospace industry had all but dried up. In the early 2000s, however, the government issued a new tender for a passenger jet and the newly-formed Irkut - a merger of Yakovlev, fellow design bureau Beriev and the Irkutsk production facility - began work on the design.
One of the major results of the Yakovlev's work in 2003 was the victory of the MC-21 aircraft project in a bid for short- and medium-haul aircraft for domestic and foreign airlines.
The JSC «Yak» and «Il» had long time experience in civil aircraft development as well as participating of industry's institutes in project promised to be very effective. The project was initally supported by the first-rate aviation enterprises - IAPO, AVIASTAR, SMAZ. The crediting from National Reserve Bank and «IL.finance» leasing company helps running the project in time. Subsequently it was determined that Irkut would be solely responsible for the MS-21 breakthrough project, with the Ilyushin aircraft company leaving it. Ilyushin will instead focus on the 11-214 military transport and its Indian version dubbed Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA).
Work on the MS-21 united the lead developer - OAO Development office of A. S. Yakovlev and Tupolev (mechanization wing, horizontal plumage), JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (passenger compartment), JSC Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex im.G.M.Berieva (vertical empenage). Industrial cooperation will involve JSC "Scientific Production Corporation" Irkut ", OAO" Voronezh joint-stock aircraft company, ZAO Aviastar-Fixed-wing manufacturing and other enterprises, including those not yet members of the OAK. The Beriev aircraft company will work on the MS-21's tail. As before, the Irkutsk aircraft plant is to manufacture aluminium fuselage (most probably, it will be made of weld alloys), Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar will produce wings. Voronezh aircraft plant (VASO) - the fin assembly and Tekhnologiya Research and Production Enterprise - the tail cone and some parts of the wing.
Irkut would take on the MS-21 family with over 150 seats. And Sukhoi, in addition to the first-generation 96-seated Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100), would design two second-generation aircraft - the SSJ-110 and SSJ-130 carrying 110 and 130 passengers, respectively. This is in return for Irkut's dropping the 130-seat MS-21-100, raising the capacity of the MS-21-300 medium version up to 180 passengers, and adding the the 210-seat MS-21-400. Sukhoi will provide the MS-21 an all-composite wing basing on its SSJ-110/130 solutions.
It was planned to manufacture Tu-204/214-family aircraft through 2015, when the MS-21 is launched. And it seems that the Il-96 long-range plane will not be replaced even after 2015. While aircraft manufacturers seem to manage to launch production of the Superjet 100 and Tu-334 given the needed funding, the aircraft industry really needs a breakthrough if it wants to create the new-generation MS-21.
The MS-21 is not the only medium-range civilian aircraft to emerge from Russia recently - Sukhoi Civil Aircraft's Russian Superjet-100 (RRJ) shares similar characteristics. But the significance the industry attaches to the MS-21 is evidenced by the host of Russian aviation companies involved in the project. These include such iconic names as the Yakutsk Design Bureau, Sukhoi, the Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific Technical Complex, famed for its Be-200 seaplanes - Tupolev and Antonov. Several western corporations are also involved.
In 2008 the state should allocate 1.6 billion roubles to Irkut for the MS-21 project of a total 3.5 billion to be spent only on the airframe without the powerplant and avionics. Twice as much money is required to finish all the works. And it should be taken from the company's own funds, shareholders or on capital market. The initial stages of the project, covering the basic elements and design ideas for a prototype, have already cost 1.5 billion rubles (over $60 million). In September 2008 a conceptual design was prepared and digitization (preparation of digital drawings) of the plane's components will begin. The aircraft will finally be rolled out for flight testing in 2010.
By the end of 2013 the project was progressing to a first flight in June 2015 and certification two years later. Irkut claimed to have 256 commitments, of which 135 were firm, for the MC-21, which will be offered in two variants, a 150-seat -200 type and 181-seat -300 type. The narrowbody draws extensively on Western expertise, with Rockwell Collins avionics and, most notably, Pratt & Whitney's PW1000G geared turbofan engine. UTC Aerospace Systems (formerly Hamilton Sundstrand) and Zodiac are also suppliers.
The first flying prototype of the Irkut MC-21, a Russian twin-engine short-mid-range jet airliner with a capacity of 150-211 passengers, has left the assembly room floor, Russian media reported 04 May 2017. Speaking to the RIA Novosti news agency, an official from Irkut Corporation confirmed that "the first flying model MC-21 has moved from the final assembly shop to the flight testing division to prepare for the first flight." Details on the plane's expected flight testing schedule remained scarce.
Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said that the MC-21 should receive its airworthiness certificate in 2019. Eight planes, including three for flight testing, were being assembled at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. Russia hoped to produce up to 1,000 of the planes for the medium-haul passenger liner market, which is by far the most capacious segment of the global aviation market, by 2037.
A prototype of the medium-range MS-21 aircraft, developed by PJSC Yakovlev (part of the UAC of Rostec State Corporation), with Russian-made systems and components, began certification testing. The first flight under the program took place June 26, 2025 from the Gromov Flight Research Institute airfield in Zhukovsky, where the radio communications equipment was tested. The aircraft was piloted by a crew consisting of test pilot and Hero of Russia Oleg Kononenko, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation Andrey Voropayev, and lead flight test engineers Alexander Solovyov, Grigory Kudryashov, and Oleg Berezin. The aircraft remained in the air for four hours, with tests conducted at various altitudes. "The aircraft, which began certification testing today, has only three foreign-made systems remaining—the actuators, brakes, and generators. Soon, a fully import-substituting aircraft, with all systems and components manufactured domestically, will join the program. It is currently in the final assembly shop. We are working to a tight deadline, as we understand that airlines are eagerly awaiting the MC-21. Therefore, in parallel with certification, we are preparing for serial production—more than 20 aircraft are already at the plant in various stages of readiness. We expect deliveries of the new aircraft to customers to begin next year," said Rostec Executive Director Oleg Yevtushenko. In early May 2025, this aircraft completed a nonstop flight from Irkutsk to Zhukovsky. The aircraft is equipped with Russian-made electronic equipment, including computers, switches, navigation systems, and radio communications systems. The aircraft also received a domestically produced auxiliary power unit, air conditioning and pressure control systems, lighting equipment, and aircraft control panels. Russian components are also included in the electrical system, hydraulic systems, and landing gear. "The start of certification testing is a crucial step in the import substitution program. To obtain type certification for the fully domestically produced MS-21, we plan to conduct approximately 220-230 test flights to ensure 100% safety for our future passengers," said Vitaly Naryshkin, Chief Designer of the MS-21 at Yakovlev. A prototype of the MS-21 medium-range aircraft, equipped with new Russian systems and components, took to the skies for the first time from the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant of the Yakovlev Company (part of the UAC of the Rostec State Corporation) on April 29, 2025. Its domestically developed avionics, power supply, air conditioning, and other systems were tested on board. The flight marked the beginning of factory development testing. The flight was performed by a crew consisting of test pilots Alexander Guskov, Hero of Russia Roman Taskayev, and lead flight test engineers Alexander Popov and Alexander Solovyov. The aircraft remained airborne for 1 hour and 15 minutes, reaching a speed of 580 km/h and an altitude of 3,000 m. Alexander Guskov stated that the flight mission had been fully completed. Roman Taskaev added that all aircraft systems, including the new domestic ones, operated without issue. "The MC-21 is designed to replace Boeings and Airbuses in Russian skies. It's a cutting-edge aircraft, highly modern and comfortable, with outstanding aerodynamics and next-generation onboard systems. Combined with the PD-14 engines, this ensures low operating costs and good economics for airlines. Our aircraft manufacturers have done a tremendous job, replacing approximately 80 foreign systems and components to ensure independence from sanctions and suppliers from other countries. Today's flight brings us one step closer to certification and the start of market deliveries of the import-substituting MC-21," said Oleg Yevtushenko, Executive Director of Rostec State Corporation. Two modified MS-21 prototype aircraft, which were previously used in certification tests with foreign systems, will participate in flight tests under the import substitution program. The first of these, which flew on April 29, 2025, had some of its foreign systems replaced. The aircraft received a Russian-made avionics suite, including computers, switches, navigation systems, and radio communications equipment, a domestically produced auxiliary power unit, air conditioning and pressure control systems, lighting equipment, and aircraft system consoles. Domestic components were incorporated into the electrical power supply system, hydraulic system, and landing gear. "This flight marks the beginning of the factory development testing of the MS-21 in its new, Russian form. Our plans include a flight to Zhukovsky for certification test flights. In parallel, we continue work on the all-Russian MS-21, which is currently in the final assembly shop and will begin flying later," noted UAC CEO Vadim Badekha. At the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of PJSC Yakovlev (part of the UAC of the Rostec State Corporation), preliminary installation of a domestically produced interior on the MS-21 prototype aircraft was completed June 30, 2025. The aircraft was equipped with overhead compartments, window and ceiling panels, galley and toilet units, wardrobes, partitions, curtains, door trim and trim, and business-class seats.
The interior elements of the passenger airliner were manufactured by the company "Aviation Interiors" as part of a major import substitution project. "Specialists praised the quality of the new interior. Some components fit even better than their foreign counterparts previously manufactured and tested on this prototype," noted Genar Shuvalov, Head of the Interior, Passenger, and Household Equipment Department at PJSC Yakovlev.
The installation was supervised by representatives of the aircraft interior manufacturer. "The installation of the first interior set is a significant milestone in our strategic partnership with PJSC Yakovlev. With this step, we are confidently launching serial production of interiors for the MC-21," noted Roman Ramazanov, CEO of Aviation Interiors.
In the near future, complete import substitution of floor panels and luggage compartment panels is expected. They are planned to be manufactured in Ulyanovsk. The MS-21 is a next-generation medium-range passenger aircraft. The airliner is based on the latest developments and is targeted at the most in-demand segment of the passenger transportation market. Advanced aerodynamics, PD-14 engines manufactured by the United Engine Corporation, and the latest-generation systems ensure its superior performance.
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