Negotiations are underway to bring Russian-made passenger jets to the Gulf region, according to Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of Russian state-owned holding conglomerate Rostec.
Speaking at Dubai Airshow, Chemezov told Arabian Business that Rostec eventually hopes to compete with companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin and aims to be one of the world’s top 10 corporations by 2025.
Over the same time period, Rostec hopes to increase annual average revenue by 17 percent, and increase the share of civil products it offers to 50 percent.
As part of its plans to expand its role in global – and Middle East civil aviation – Rostec has begun aggressively marketing aircraft such as the regional SuperJet 100 (SSJ100) and short and mid-range MC-21.
The SSJ00 – of which 140 are already in service – is currently operated by several Russian air carriers and government agencies, as well as the Thai air force and Kazakhstan government agencies. Letters of intent have also been signed by other airlines in Peru, Mongolia and elsewhere.
“We are negotiating SSJ100 deliveries with representatives of several countries in several regions,” Chemezov said. “The projects are in various progress stages. The business and VIP versions of SSJ100 have some potential too.”
Certification tests
The MC-21 – which has a passenger capacity of between 163 and 211 people – is currently undergoing certification tests after first being publicly unveiled at the MAKS-2019 air show near Moscow. The company has 175 firm orders for the MC-21, with plans to deliver as many as 1,000 by 2037.
“First MC-21 deliveries are expected in 2021,” he said. “We expect that as the aircraft successfully passes the testing programme, and the type certificate, including the European one, is granted, this will give a powerful boost to Russian aircraft products advancement to the global market.
Chemezov added that negotiations are currently underway to deliver MC-21-300 versions of the aircraft to “various” countries in the Arabian Gulf.
“Concurrently, consultations are underway to establish aircraft maintenance and customisation centres in the region and to localise manufacturing,” he added. “Negotiations on these matters will be activated once MC-21-300 is granted the EASA certificate.”
Additionally, Chemezov said that it hopes to assist the UAE’s space programme “in every possible way”.
Already, a multi-stage parachute system for Soyuz manned spacecraft developed by Rostec’s Technodinamika holding company was used to return UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri from orbit.
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