Rostec will spend 120 billion rubles to create a new Superjet

This is reported by Vedomosti, referring to their sources in Rostec.

This amount includes the creation of the Russian PD-8 engine - the new airliner will fly on it, and not on the Franco-Russian Sam146, on which the Superjet-100 flies.

A completely domestic engine will be developed by the United Engine Corporation (UEC). It, like UAC, belongs to Rostec. Despite the fact that companies invest their own funds, they will receive a significant part of the investment. For the development of the import-substituted SSJ, the UAC, for example, will receive at least 50 billion rubles.

It is noted that today the level of imported components for SSJ100 is about 70%. The decision on import substitution of the project was made two years ago. The reason for the decision was the fact that the Franco-Russian engine was extremely unsuccessful. The French refused to invest in its revision because, according to Safran, they will not pay off due to the very small number of aircraft produced.

The amount of 120 billion rubles is comparable to the development of a completely new jet liner. For example, the development of the MS-21 was estimated at 250 billion rubles. At the same time, experts ask themselves: is there a need for new Superjets at all? From the very beginning, the plan for the production of these aircraft envisioned 1,300 of these aircraft over three decades, later it was reduced to 850, and in 2015 it was decided to get by with 595 aircraft. Last year, Superjet shipments hit record lows.

Let us recall that the only civilian jet liner created by the Russian aviation industry regularly finds itself at the center of incidents. The loudest of them is the tragic incident that occurred on May 5, 2019 at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where 41 people died during an emergency landing of the Superjet. After this disaster, more attention was paid to Sukhoi aircraft.