russia’s Aviation Industry: Between Déjà Vu and the Prospect of “Landing” the Civil Aviation

The “achievements” of russian aircraft manufacturers in recent years are more reminiscent of déjà vu than of the work of what was once a leading sector of the machine-building industry. Loud slogans, subsequent acknowledgment that it is impossible to fully replace Western aircraft and components, constant postponement of mass production deadlines for airliners, as well as derailed and shelved projects – all of this demonstrates management incompetence and, at the same time, could in the near future bring the entire russian civil aviation industry to a standstill.

Not long ago, the russian companies “aeroflot” and “rostec” signed an agreement with great fanfare to supply 90 MS-21 medium-range aircraft between 2029 and 2032. The event took place in the presence of putin and minister of industry and trade anton alikhanov and minister of transport andrei nikitin. In total, by the end of 2032, “aeroflot” is set to receive 108 airliners, taking into account the previous contract. But, given the history of the MS-21’s development, even russian experts do not believe these plans are realistic.

The start of serial production of the aircraft was solemnly promised first in 2016, then in 2018, later in 2019, and so on up to and including 2026. Recently, kremlin officials have promised to deliver the first production aircraft to the customer in 2027, but experts are already predicting, at the very least, a commercial failure for this project.

 No less sensational are the plans of russian aircraft manufacturers regarding “light aviation”.  At the Eastern Economic Forum, they announced their intention to resume production in russia of the legendary An-2 aircraft, better known as the “kukuruznik” or “annushka”.  This announcement came against the background of the complete failure of the “baikal” aircraft project, which was supposed to definitively put out to pasture the An-2. Please, be reminded, the “kukuruznik” made its maiden flight in 1947, and mass production began in 1949.

At that same Eastern Forum, deputy prime minister of the rf yuri trutnev best summed up the work of russian aircraft manufacturers: “If our brilliant aircraft designers can’t offer us anything other than the An-2 right now, then let’s just keep flying the An-2 for now”.