In response to Western sanctions, Russia is building its own aviation infrastructure and preparing for mass production of domestically developed passenger aircraft. Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov announced that the certification processes for the MS-21, SJ-100 (Superjet), and Il-114 models will be completed this year, with production scheduled to begin by 2026.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chemezov stated that more than 70 systems used in the MS-21 are now manufactured in Russia, and the first fully domestically-produced model will take flight this month. He added that certification flights are ongoing for the SJ-100 and Il-114, both of which are also expected to enter mass production by 2026.
Chemezov also highlighted efforts to improve maintenance infrastructure, revealing that eight service centers have already been established. This number is expected to reach 15 by 2030, with the total number of service hubs projected to hit 50.
Mandatory Domestic Production
Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, the United States and the European Union imposed heavy sanctions on the Russian aviation sector, halting aircraft and spare parts sales. Companies like Airbus and Boeing suspended their services, prompting Russia to reduce its reliance on foreign technology by accelerating domestic aircraft production.
However, the anticipated momentum in local passenger aircraft development has yet to fully materialize. With newly certified aircraft, Russia aims to fast-track this transformation in the near future.
