Belarus targets launch of first domestically designed civil aircraft by 2030

Belarus aims to develop its first domestically designed civil aircraft by 2029–2030, head of the presidential administration Dmitry Krutoy said.

Krutoy said Belarus is effectively building an aircraft manufacturing industry from the ground up, as the country lacks a mature technological base. Despite this, he noted strong growth across several segments, with output rising by between 30 per cent and threefold in certain areas, Caliber.Az reports via Interfax. 

He explained that Belarus continues to work closely with major Russian aircraft manufacturers. Facilities involved in this cooperation include the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranovichi, the Minsk Civil Aviation Plant, and the Orsha Aircraft Repair Plant. Although infrastructure is expanding, from new paint shops to production lines capable of producing complex long aircraft components, Krutoy said the enterprises are still far from operating at full capacity.

According to him, Belarus’s goal is to transition from repair operations to deeper industrial cooperation with Russian partners. He stressed that building new facilities without a clear production plan would be pointless, and that the priority is to develop a new engineering “school” and acquire new competencies within the country.

Krutoy said the ultimate objective of these efforts is the creation of a fully fledged Belarusian-designed civil aircraft by the end of the decade.

By Sabina Mammadli