NOVO-OGARYOVO, May 13. /TASS/. The state must maintain the domestic aviation industry, which is competing on a par with foreign producers and demonstrates its superiority in the sphere of combat aircraft, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the support of the aviation industry and air carriages on Wednesday.

"In the current situation, it is necessary to maintain the industry’s base, namely, aircraft-building enterprises and utilize the capacity of this complex production unique by many parameters," the head of state said.

Russia is among few countries in the world that are capable of producing the whole range of military and civil aircraft and helicopters, which is a big competitive advantage and the implementation of the potential of the Russian economy, industry, science and education, Putin stressed.

"Domestic aircraft are competing on an equal footing with foreign rivals and world market leaders by many characteristics and, as a matter of fact, considerably surpass them by some [parameters], in the category of combat aviation," the Russian president said.

The potential of the Russian aircraft-building industry makes it possible to work on new and promising models, including on the MC-21 medium-haul airliner, which is now undergoing flight tests, the Russian president said.

"As far as I know, it has performed over 300 flights. This is actually a third of what is required," the head of state said.