Russian media are widely reporting that Aeroflot is restructuring its fleet-modernisation agreement with United Aircraft in favour of additional Yakovlev MC-21s.
Aeroflot Group signed for 339 aircraft nearly two years ago, comprising 210 MC-21s and 89 of the domestically-revamped SJ-100, plus 40 Tupolev Tu-214s.
But chief executive Sergei Aleksandrovsky is cited as having told broadcaster Rossiya 24 that the operator was negotiating a “complete transfer of the entire fleet” to MC-21s – suggesting the other two types would be dropped.
Speaking to the channel during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Aleksandrovsky indicated that the rethink is due to delivery schedules “moving to the right”.
Several civil aircraft programmes are facing delays and the Russian government recently revised downwards its expectations on production by the end of the decade.
This revision listed the initial deliveries of MC-21s taking place in 2025 and those of SJ-100s in 2026. Tu-214 production would also begin ramping-up over this two-year period.
Aleksandrovsky reportedly said that Aeroflot would take the MC-21 in two variants, including a shrunk version which, while previously planned, has yet to be developed.
United Aircraft is currently certifying the MC-21-310 variant, powered by Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines. The shrunk variant of the MC-21 is provisionally named the MC-21-200.
Neither United Aircraft nor Russian state technology firm Rostec responded to requests for comment, according to the Russian media reports.
