Russia's Irkut to develop large commercial airliner – successor to the Tu-154
03 Jul 2008
Russia's Irkut Corp has said it will develop a new large transport plane - a successor to the Tu-154 - with certification planned for 2015. The new model, MC-21, will be offered in three versions and seat 150-210 passengers.
Irkut said it will invest a sum of $65.5 million towards preparing a draft design and launching conceptual design work. A total amount of $3 billion will be "earmarked for the implementation of the project," it said.
The aircraft will be manufactured at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant at a production rate of of 5-6 aircraft each month.
The new model will be developed by Irkut, and its subsidiary the Yakovlev OKB Design Bureau, a systems integrator. Among other companies planning to participate are Ilyushin, Tupolev, Beriev and Sukhoi.
Irkut said it will soon issue a tender to select suppliers of components and systems, including engines and avionics. In a statement, it said it hopes that "along with Russian companies, world leading manufacturers such as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, Thales and others will be interested in the tender."
Irkut is producing components and sub-assemblies for the A320, A330/A340 and A380 and also is partnered with Airbus on the A320 passenger-to-freighter conversion programme. Airbus parent EADS bought a 10 per cent stake in Irkut in late 2005.
