The Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAP) is commemorating its 92nd anniversary of operations; however, the historic Siberian aircraft factory is currently preoccupied with the future. The plant is currently engaged in simultaneous development of the Yak-130 trainer, the Su-30SM2 fighter, and the upcoming Yak-130M. Its most significant industrial priority is the increase in serial production of the Yakovlev MC-21-310 passenger aircraft.
The most recent production figures from the plant suggest that the primary focus is currently on improving the predictability and efficiency of aircraft assembly. In recent years, the factory has installed new equipment and reconstructed production facilities, according to Andrey Soinov, the director of IAP. Optimizing manufacturing processes, establishing a more rhythmic production cycle, and accelerating aircraft movement through the production line are the current priorities.
“Currently, 18 aircraft are in work, of which ten are joined airframes, including four aircraft in a high degree of readiness,” Soinov stated, as reported by Irkutsk Online. The facility anticipates that the four aircraft will be transported to its flight-test station by the conclusion of 2026.
The figures provide a visual representation of a factory that is transitioning from infrastructure modernization to a higher rate of serial output. The goal is to improve the operational efficiency of the entire production process, thereby enabling aircraft to progress through successive stages with fewer delays, rather than merely expanding individual workshops.
The MC-21-310, a narrowbody passenger aircraft that is domestically oriented, serves as the focal point of the project. The first aircraft assembled at Irkutsk using serial-production technologies has been finalized and was flown to Zhukovsky near Moscow in early August. The transfer of the aircraft from the Irkutsk production line to the flight-test environment is a critical milestone in the transition from development aircraft to a repeatable manufacturing process.
The MC-21 is also undergoing flight testing. Two experimental aircraft are currently participating in the program, and as of July 1, 2026, they had completed 200 flights, including 101 certification flights. The MC-21 principal designer, Vitaly Naryshkin, forecasts that the overall test program will be completed in June 2027, while Yakovlev anticipates obtaining the MC-21 type certificate by the end of 2026.
Therefore, commemorating the anniversary for the Irkutsk plant is less about reflecting on the past and more about showcasing the readiness of its manufacturing base for a new era of aircraft production.
The factory’s history dates back to 1932, when construction started on the fringes of Irkutsk as the first significant Komsomol construction project in Eastern Siberia. The enterprise was known as “Construction No. 125” in public and was kept secret at the time, rather than an aircraft factory. A residential settlement was constructed adjacent to it, which included housing, streets, a stadium, a club, stores, and kindergartens.
On August 24, 1934, the plant was officially accepted after its equipment was effectively opened for a government inspection. August 24 was designated as the plant’s traditional birthday, as eleven major factories were inaugurated on that day. In September of the same year, it was finally administratively integrated into the Soviet heavy-industry system.
IAP acquired expertise in aircraft from nine Soviet and Russian design bureaus over the course of several decades. Its production history encompassed transport aircraft such as the An-12 and An-24T, as well as the Er-2, Il-4, Il-28, Tu-2, Tu-14, and Yak-28. In addition to manufacturing the Be-200 amphibious aircraft and several experimental designs, the plant also participated in the production of the Su-27UB and built MiG-23UB and MiG-27 aircraft.
This extensive production history has since transitioned into a separate industrial function. The modern Irkutsk plant is not solely aimed at maintaining legacy fighter production; it is also becoming a critical manufacturing center for Russia’s ambitious plan to establish a domestically controlled civil-aircraft production chain.
Parallel production of the Su-30SM2 and Yak-130 military aircraft continues to be significant, as it ensures that the plant maintains its status as a major defense-industrial enterprise and maintains an established workload. Simultaneously, the Yak-130M modernization and the MC-21 program are introducing new technological challenges and production requirements.
As a result, the immediate task is both straightforward and challenging: to transform the accumulated manufacturing experience, new equipment, and upgraded facilities into a consistent flow of completed aircraft.
Thus, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant is transitioning to a new phase at the age of 92. Its history spans nearly a century, during which time it has undergone significant changes in aircraft types and design bureaus. Presently, it is characterized by 18 aircraft in various phases of production and an MS-21 program that is becoming more active. The factory’s ability to convert its production base into a consistent output of Russia’s next generation of military and civil aircraft will be contingent upon the success of the current modernization initiative.