The MC-21 program in Russia is scheduled to receive a new variant that is capable of flying a greater distance than the baseline MC-21-310 and is designed to accommodate approximately 140 passengers.
New details about the project MC-21-210 emerged during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant on July 24, 2026. Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of Rostec, stated that the aircraft would be shortened in size and would have a planned range of at least 5,000 kilometers. Putin responded that a smaller aircraft should ideally be capable of traveling a greater distance.
Consequently, the MC-21-210 is gradually transitioning from a proposed addition to the MC-21 family to a standalone aviation project with a defined research and development schedule, state funding, and specific performance requirements.
First MC-21-210 Flight Planned for 2028
Andrei Soynov, the General Director of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, stated that the project is presently in the research and development phase. Funding has been allocated and a government contract has been executed. The initial test flight of the MC-21-210 is anticipated to occur in 2028, as per the current schedule.
The development contract with Yakovlev was signed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia in May 2026. The contract is valued at 19.7 billion rubles, and the associated R&D program is expected to be finalized by the end of 2028. The project is funded in a series of stages.
Importantly, the program involves more than simply removing sections from the fuselage of the existing aircraft. The MC-21 family’s overall flight characteristics are also expected to be improved through development work, which will include measures to reduce the weight of the engine pylon structure and the aircraft’s onboard electrical cabling.
Around 140 Passengers and Greater Range
The primary concept of the MC-21-210 is to combine an increased range with a reduced passenger capacity. Soynov said that the objective capacity was approximately 140 passengers during the presidential visit. At the same time, it is expected that the aircraft will maintain considerable technological innovations that have been previously developed for the MC-21 family.
One potentially important advantage is that the existing wing is expected to be retained. Soynov clarified that the wing would remain largely unchanged, whereas the aircraft would be lighter due to its shortened length. One of the expected factors that will contribute to an increase in range is the reduction in overall weight while maintaining the current wing.
In essence, engineers are striving to modify the equilibrium between range, weight, and capacity. Airlines would receive a smaller aircraft that is capable of operating relatively long routes, rather than maximizing the number of seats. This is because the demand for passengers may not justify the deployment of the larger MC-21-310.
The Shortened MC-21 Concept Has Been Around for Years
The concept itself is not new. In the original MC-21 family, there were designs for a shortened MC-21-200 that was expected to accommodate approximately 132 passengers in a standard two-class configuration and up to 165 passengers in a high-density layout. The initial specifications expected a maximum range of 6,400 kilometers.
It is important to note that the original MC-21-200 was never developed into a flight-test aircraft. The MC-21 family’s specifications and priorities underwent a transformation as a result of Russia’s extensive import-substitution program. The concept of a shortened aircraft eventually resurfaced in a new form.
Denis Manturov, the First Deputy Prime Minister, initiated a conversation in 2024 regarding the feasibility of creating a shortened, import-substituted variant that could accommodate approximately 140–150 passengers. Additionally, the development of such an aircraft was considered a method of enhancing range in response to the weight increase of certain domestically produced systems and components.
The plans had become significantly more concrete by November 2025. Chemezov disclosed at the Dubai Airshow that Rostec was contemplating the development of an aircraft capable of accommodating approximately 140 passengers. He also mentioned that Aeroflot had previously expressed interest in this model. Development was anticipated to require approximately two years at the time.
Why a Range Beyond 5,000 km Matters
For an aircraft of this size, range could become one of its most important commercial characteristics. Routes that are long in distance but lack sufficient passenger demand to consistently fill a larger narrow-body jet could be served by an aircraft that seats approximately 140 passengers.
This is especially pertinent to the domestic route network of Russia, as many major regional centers are separated by vast distances. Airlines may be able to establish additional nonstop connections between cities without intermediate stops and without deploying aircraft with an excessive amount of seating capacity in relation to the available demand, if they have a greater range.
It is for this reason that Putin’s remarks regarding the 5,000-km target are of considerable importance. He observed that the distance to Irkutsk is already approximately 5,000 km during the conversation, which implies that the shortened aircraft should have an additional range beyond that benchmark.
MC-21 Is Becoming a Full Aircraft Family
The commercial potential of the entire platform could also be expanded by the MC-21-210. The new version has the potential to operate longer sectors with reduced passenger demand, while the baseline MC-21-310 is designed for routes with higher passenger volumes.
Airlines may also benefit from the similarities between the two variants. A shared production infrastructure, PD-14 engines, similar onboard systems, a common cockpit philosophy, and a shared platform have the potential to simplify crew training, maintenance, and mixed-fleet operations.
In the interim, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant is in the process of finalizing the MC-21 for serial production. According to reports, the facility was home to 18 MC-21 aircraft in various phases of production during the president’s visit in July. Russian-manufactured PD-14 engines and domestically manufactured onboard systems are being implemented on these aircraft.
The MC-21 program faces two major tasks: establishing stable serial production for the baseline MC-21-310 and developing a variant with distinct commercial capabilities.
The year 2028 may prove to be the most significant
How far engineers can push the performance of the MC-21-210 in the next two years will be revealed. The initial practical indication of whether engineers have successfully achieved the desired increase in range without making excessive compromises in payload capability and operating economics will be provided by flight testing if the first flight occurs as scheduled in 2028.