Aeroflot signs contract for 90 more Russian MC-21 aircraft

Russian flag carrier Aeroflot and state-owned conglomerate Rostec have signed a contract for the delivery of a second batch of 90 domestically produced MC-21 aircraft, Rostec’s press service said, as quoted by local media.

The airline is due to receive the aircraft between 2029 and 2032.

The agreement was signed by Aeroflot, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), leasing company Aviacapital-Service and the United Engine Corporation (UEC). The signing ceremony was attended by President Vladimir Putin, Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov and Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin.

The contract covers the cost of the aircraft, flight simulators, crew training and technical support. According to the statement, full-service support will be provided for 22 years for all 108 MC-21 aircraft that Aeroflot is set to receive, including 18 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2027–2028.

The MC-21 is a new-generation narrow-body passenger aircraft designed for medium-haul routes and capable of carrying up to 211 passengers. The aircraft underwent full import substitution after 2022, with around 80 systems and components replaced with domestically produced alternatives, including PD-14 engines. The aircraft is scheduled to undergo certification next year.

Seventeen MC-21-310 aircraft intended for Aeroflot are currently at various stages of production in Irkutsk. Production is subsequently planned to increase to 36 aircraft a year.

Between 2022 and 2025, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency approved changes to the MC-21’s standard design related to the installation of the Russian-made PD-14 engine, as well as wings and tail assemblies made from domestically produced composite materials.

Since 2025, Russian onboard systems, including hydraulics, avionics, the electrical power system and the auxiliary power unit, have been undergoing testing on the aircraft. More than 50% of the certification test programme has been completed, with more than 120 certification flights conducted on three aircraft.

By Tamilla Hasanova