First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov announced in an interview with Kommersant the decision to create a shortened version of the MS-21 aircraft. The airliner will lose two fuselage sections and will directly compete with the European Airbus A320.
This version fully fits the characteristics required by our air carriers
According to Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, the passenger capacity of the shortened MS-21 will be about 140 people, and the creation of such a modification will take up to two years.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has already signed a contract with PAO Yakovlev (part of Rostec's OAK) for R&D on the shortened version, with a completion date at the end of 2028. Thus, the Russian aircraft industry is creating an MS-21 line of two sizes for the first time, which allows for flexible coverage of different route niches: the basic MS-21-310 with a capacity of 163–211 seats operates on main lines, while the shortened version will occupy the niche of medium-haul transportation, where the A320 currently dominates.
Cost of new Russian aircraft
The economic model is being laid out in stages. OAK CEO Vadim Badeha stated in an interview with TASS that today the first aircraft are more expensive than foreign models in terms of cost and operation, but it is incorrect to judge the price by them.
I am confident that with large-scale production, we will be able to provide a competitive cost at the level of Western manufacturers.
Manturov clarified the figures: the cost of the first machines will be higher than the market price, and the difference will be compensated to airlines by state subsidies. After 2030, scaling up production and reducing costs will allow reaching a target price of about 7.4 billion rubles – this figure, according to Manturov, is considered acceptable by airlines, and an independent audit confirmed its fairness and profitability.
www1.ru reported that the MS-21-310 will follow the path of the Boeing 737 in increasing flight range
Read more on the topic:
- Russia did something with the MC-21 that even China doesn't have
- Details of the "shortened" MC-21-210 version revealed: a response to Boeing 737 and Airbus A320
- "Aeroflot" with old Airbus and Boeing suffers losses, not waiting for MC-21