Russia is considering the possibility of re-engining Superjet aircraft with French-Russian SaM146 engines with domestic PD-8s. However, such modernization will require a deep overhaul of some of the aircraft's systems, according to "Tekhnosfera Rossiya" publication.
The authors note that engine replacement will affect not only the power plant itself but also its associated onboard control systems. The new SJ-100 differs from earlier versions of the aircraft not only by its PD-8 engines but also by a number of other systems.
Therefore, the re-engining process will not be simple or cheap. It is also important to gain practical experience in such deep modernization – currently, the program for the new aircraft variant focuses specifically on the new machine.
In early May, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov, stated that the decision on re-engining would be made after assessing the condition of components and the economic feasibility of the project.
Aviation expert Oleg Panteleev previously explained that mass replacement of SaM146 with PD-8 on older Superjet versions might not be profitable.
