MOSCOW. July 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Federal Industry Agency chief Boris Alyoshin said that his agency wants the Sukhoi Holding Company's Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) project to materialize.
"We support the RRJ project, in which Boeing, Snecma, Thales and other firms that are well known to foreign buyers and have already participated in military projects together with us are taking part," Alyoshin said in an interview with Russia's Vedomosti published on Tuesday.
The ability of Russian products to compete on the foreign market is vital to the future of the domestic aircraft building sector, the official said. At the same time, RRJ "is the only competitive project," while the Tu-334 plane, which has good characteristics, "stands very little chance abroad," he said.
"The buyer will want to see both the plant where the aircraft is manufactured and the equipment suppliers for the aircraft. As he will not be able to see the plan or equipment suppliers that he knows and that have Western certificates, his answer is clear," Alyoshin said in reference to the Tu-334.
"There is nothing tragic that Russia will focus on the RRJ, not on Boeing 787 or A380. Nevertheless, we do take part in the Boeing aircraft development, not only in aerodynamic calculations and design of selected components, but also in titanium supplies," he noted.
In addition, state support will be provided to the MS-21 medium-range aircraft project.
"This is not a political decision, as what we are currently considering is just a conceptual design, but we believe it is quite possible that we will manage to become the system integrator of this aircraft," Alyoshin said.
According to him, a fifth-generation fighter is also among the priority projects.
"This is a strike plane of a new generation. Though requirements to it are elaborated by the Defense Ministry, we invite foreign partners from France and India to take part," he noted.
It is the first time these partners are invited to not develop only selected components, but to share risks during the entire life cycle of the aircraft, which provides for procurement of foreign components and systems, including for mass-produced aircraft, Alyoshin stressed.
"In the future, joint sales of fifth-generation aircraft to third parties are possible. Another project in the aircraft industry is the revival of An-124 Ruslan aircraft production in Ulyanovsk. This plane was once ahead of its time. There is also great interest in a medium transport plane with a cargo capacity of up to 20 tonnes," he said.
Elaborating on the latter project, Alyoshin said he was referring to the Military Transport Aircraft (MTA), which the Irkut corporation is planning to develop jointly with India, including for military customers.
As to the helicopter industry, the Federal Industry Agency will support the Mi-38 project. "I do not rule out joint projects with Sikorsky," Alyoshin noted.