The Russian SJ-100, more than 20 years after the project's launch, has received a new lease on life as a deeply redesigned aircraft with domestic systems and a PD-8 engine. The Sukhoi company worked on creating the machine, and the program itself went from an ambitious international project, Russian Regional Jet, with Boeing's participation, to one of the key projects in Russian civil aircraft manufacturing.
The history of the Superjet began in the early 2000s when Russia was looking for a replacement for aging Soviet-made passenger aircraft. In 2002, Rosaviakosmos announced a competition for a new regional airliner. Among the contenders were the Tu-414, M-60-70, and RRJ projects from the Sukhoi Design Bureau. The Russian Regional Jet was the winner, although Sukhoi had previously specialized primarily in combat aircraft.
Initially, the project envisioned creating an entire family of aircraft with capacities ranging from 60 to 95 passengers. The developers expected not only to meet the needs of the Russian market but also to enter the international arena.
Cooperation with the American company Boeing played a significant role in the initial concept. Corporate specialists participated in developing design approaches, organizing production, working with suppliers, and promoting the aircraft. It was then that the future airliner was named the Russian Regional Jet.
However, within a few years, the concept changed. In 2006, at the Farnborough Airshow, the project was renamed Sukhoi Superjet-100. The company's management explained this by the need to make the name more understandable for the global market.
The aircraft made its first flight on May 19, 2008. After completing tests in 2011, the SSJ-100 received its type certificate and began to be delivered to airlines. The first operator was Armenian Armavia, then Aeroflot became the largest customer in Russia.
But the aircraft's path turned out to be significantly more complex than the developers had anticipated. Instead of a massive entry into the international market, the Superjet faced operational problems, delivery delays, maintenance difficulties, and limited demand abroad.
One of the main problems was the high dependence on foreign components. In early versions of the aircraft, a significant part of the equipment was foreign, including the SaM146 engine, created jointly by the Russian company ODK-Saturn and the French Snecma.
After the cessation of international cooperation, Russian engineers had to virtually re-create many aircraft systems. In the new version of the SJ-100, dozens of components were replaced: avionics, control systems, power supply, air conditioning, auxiliary power unit, and other elements.
The main stage was the installation of the Russian PD-8 engine. The new power unit was developed specifically to replace the SaM146 and was intended to ensure the program's independence from foreign suppliers.
By 2026, the SJ-100 already differs significantly from the original Superjet. The aircraft received domestic systems, a new equipment configuration, and effectively became a deeply modernized version of the original project.
However, the program faced delays. The production of fully Russian machines proved more difficult than expected: it required restoring supply chains, creating new production facilities, and undergoing additional testing stages.
Today, the SJ-100 remains one of the main projects in Russian civil aircraft manufacturing. The aircraft is designed for approximately 100 passengers and is capable of performing regional and short-haul flights with a range of about 3500 km.
In parallel, Russia is developing other passenger projects, including the MC-21 and Tu-214. However, it was the SJ-100 that became the first modern Russian new-generation civil airliner to undergo a full development cycle within the country — from design to serial production.
Over two decades, the Superjet changed several names, underwent a change in technological base, and transformed from an international project with high export expectations into a symbol of the Russian aviation industry's transition to its own production base.