The UAC announced the creation of a prototype supersonic passenger liner

Russia has begun to create a prototype supersonic passenger aircraft in hardware. This was announced on June 3 by the head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Vadim Badekha.

"Yes, such work is underway at the National Research and Development Center. Zhukovsky, we are actively helping. They are no longer being conducted on paper, but in hardware. A prototype of such an aircraft is in the works, and we believe that NIC Zhukovsky will succeed in these works," he said in an interview with TASS on the eve of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

In addition to promising developments, Badekha spoke about the preparations for the operation of the current line of civilian airliners. He noted that the country has created import-substituted passenger aircraft, the certification of which will be completed in a short time. The head of the corporation recalled that in 2025, all the expected models of equipment were lifted into the air: MS-21-310, SJ-100 with Russian PD-8 engines, IL-114-300 and the updated Tu-214.

According to the UAC, the Tu-214 aircraft has already passed the certification procedure. The IL-114-300 model has fully completed the certification flight program and is awaiting approval in the near future.

Tests of other aircraft are in the final stages. According to Badekhi, the SJ-100 program has about 20% of the test flights remaining, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the summer. According to the MS-21 project, 70% of the total volume of flight tests remains to be completed. The head of the corporation summarized that import-substituted aircraft models already exist, and their official flight clearance is a matter of a short time.

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On June 1, the head of the UAC stressed that the company had started supplying Tu-214 passenger aircraft. According to him, aircraft deliveries are already underway. It was clarified that the Tu-214 is a narrow—body medium-haul passenger aircraft designed to carry up to 210 passengers.