Russia: import substitution for the Irkut MC-21 is moving forward

The Russian Federation continues to make progress in the process of import substitution with the aim of supplying its own components for the development of the Irkut MC-21, a model with which the Russian aeronautics industry intends to compete with similar products developed by its Western competitors, such as the Airbus A320neo or the Boeing 737 MAX.

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The state corporation Rostec, which is responsible for promoting the development, production and export of high-tech products for the civil and defence sectors, had begun to replace imported parts for the aircraft with domestically produced ones.

Through official decree number 1693 of 25 June 2022, the Russian government had approved a comprehensive air transport development programme until 2030. «In the face of external constraints, the strategic goal of the sector will be an accelerated transition to domestic equipment», they said at the time.

By August this year, the Irkut MC-21 had become largely independent of Western inputs, which almost completely disappeared from Russia as a result of the country’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions. The process of import substitution continued.

In a press release, the FAU GosNIIAS aviation industry institute said yesterday that it will take part in certification tests of the PD-14 engine developed by United Engine Corporation (UEC). As part of the powerplant performance evaluation work, the institute’s staff will help conduct studies on the informative interaction between the engine control system and the airframe of the Irkut MC-21.

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In addition, FAU GosNIIAS specialists will work on the replacement of foreign cockpit control panels with Russian ones and their integration with the rest of the aircraft’s systems.

Irkut MC-21 and the sanctions

The Irkut MC-21 is a single-aisle, medium-range aircraft that will be able to carry just over 200 passengers. While it completed its maiden flight in May 2017, it has not yet begun commercial operations. The first deliveries could take place during the first months of 2023.

Sanctions by the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, which restrict Russia’s ability to import Western-made aircraft and parts, added pressure on the country’s aircraft production.

In response, the Russian administration began to implement a series of measures to promote the domestic aircraft industry. In this context, one of the main challenges for Russian manufacturers is to increase the pace of production.

The Russian government emphasised the need to reduce dependence on foreign inputs as much as possible. For the local aerospace industry, reducing imports of components and encouraging domestic manufacturers to produce their own products is key to their intentions.

See also: Irkut completed the static testing of the MC-21