Russian aerospace agency Rosaviacosmos (RAKA) has accepted tenders from three design bureaux to provide regional jets to meet the country's need to replace its ageing fleet of Antonov turboprops and Tupolev Tu-134 twinjets.
The competition was proposed by Russia's transport ministry in August and tenders have been accepted from Myasishchev, Sukhoi and Tupolev. RAKA expects to pick a winner by the end of the year.
Sukhoi's bid is based on the planned 60- to 95-seat Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) family under development with Ilyushin and Boeing. Tupolev has offered the 50-seat Tu-324 regional jet, under development for the past decade, and a stretched version, the Tu-414.
Myasishchev has proposed three new designs, all based on the M-60 strategic reconnaissance aircraft - the 50-seat M-60VTS, the slightly larger M-60MVL and the 100-seat M-60M. Construction has not yet started, and development costs are estimated at $270 million.
The Russian government has promised to provide 3.8 billion roubles ($120 million) for the winning programme over the next decade. The contract will require the aircraft to fly by 2006, and be in production by 2010.
Source: Flight International
