The Irkutsk Aviation Plant has unveiled a comprehensive manufacturing plan for the second batch of MC-21 aircraft bought by Aeroflot, giving a clearer picture of how Russia expects to ramp up output of its new-generation narrow-body passenger aircraft. The production under the new contract will start with 14 aircraft in 2029 and will grow significantly in the following years, said Andrei Soynov, general director of the Yakovlev department that manages the Irkutsk plant.
The timeline is important as it directly relates the long-term fleet plans of Aeroflot with the serial production increase at Irkutsk. The plant is getting ready to provide not only individual aircraft but also to increase production to a rate of 36 MC-21s a year.
90 Aircraft Under the Second Contract
Aeroflot and Rostec inked a contract for the supply of 90 MC-21 aircraft. This is the largest contract in the history of Russian civil aviation for the supply of passenger aircraft of domestic production. The aircraft will be delivered between 2029 and 2032.
Soynov said that the 90 aircraft are already being launched into production. The plan is for 14 aircraft in 2029, 18 in 2030, 24 in 2031, and 34 in 2032. The figures sum up to exactly the 90 planes covered under the contract. After that program is finished, the plant is planned to transition to a production pace of 36 MC-21s annually.
The latest order follows a previous deal with Aeroflot for 18 MC-21 planes. Eight of the aircraft will be delivered in 2027 and the other 10 in 2028. Soynov said the company currently has planes at different stages of construction, meaning the first Aeroflot contract and the second contract make up a continuous production program rather than two separate manufacturing campaigns.
From 14 Aircraft to 36 a Year
The most important element of the newly disclosed schedule is the gradual increase in output. The plant will not try to produce 36 airplanes a year right now. Rather, production will be ramped up from 14 aircraft in 2029 to 18, 24 and finally 34 aircraft in 2032.
That evolution is a reflection of the reality of getting serial production of a sophisticated commercial aircraft underway. The MC-21 production line has been modernised specifically for higher output, while additional work is continuing on facilities and logistics.
The figure of 36 airplanes a year as an objective is not new for the plant. The upgraded facilities are being readied to produce up to 36 MC-21 aircraft a year. The industrial modernization initiative includes considerable investment in new equipment, production facilities, and manufacturing infrastructure.
The expansion is designed to convert the Irkutsk factory from one largely engaged in aircraft development and low-rate production into a big commercial aircraft manufacturing center. This scheduled rate is going to need to be achieved through synchronicity across hundreds of suppliers and production processes.
Certification Remains the Key Milestone
But the production timetable depends on the successful completion of certification. The wholly Russian configured MC-21 has seen a significant reconfiguration of its supply chain after the disruption of Western cooperation following 2022.
The aircraft is equipped with the domestically made PD-14 engine. Many foreign components and systems, including avionics and other equipment for the aircraft, have been replaced with Russian manufacturers. The first serial-production MC-21-310 with the Russian equipment created inside the import-substitution program was a notable milestone in the flight testing.
Remaining certification work needs to be completed before large-scale deliveries of the aircraft may begin. Russian aviation authorities announced that certification of the import-substituted MC-21 will be completed in 2027.
That makes certification especially important for the 2029 production ramp-up. If tests discover issues needing significant changes, the production timetable could be impacted. But a successful certification would allow the plant to move away from making airplanes amid a massive certification program to a more predictable serial-production cadence.
A Major Test for Russian Civil Aviation
So the MC-21 program is entering a different phase. That’s been the problem for years: designing the airplane and replacing foreign systems. Now it is about industrialization: boosting production rates, securing component supplies, training staff, and building the infrastructure to support a larger fleet.
Government backing has already helped to expand the production of MC-21. In 2022, the Russian government committed 15 billion rubles for the purchase of modern equipment for the expansion of production of the aircraft.
Another significant aspect of the new contract with Aeroflot is the definition of a client and a long-term production horizon. The arrangement also covers associated assistance such as flight simulators, pilot training, technical personnel training, software, and long-term after-sales technical support.
Thus, Irkutsk’s immediate aim is not simply 14 aircraft in 2029. The ultimate goal is to create a production system that can accommodate 36 aircraft each year.
Assuming certification and industrial ramp-up go to plan, Aeroflot’s deliveries from 2029 to 2032 will be a key test of whether the MC-21 can go from a long-running development program to sustained large-scale Russian commercial aircraft manufacture.