MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. The UTS-800 trainer aircraft developed by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) showed that the national aviation industry is capable of independently creating high-class airplanes, official spokesperson of the plant Ekaterina Zgirovskaya told TASS.
"Foreigners did not believe Russia could create an airplane completely on its own but the UTS-800 was beyond expectations. Exhibition participants from different countries, including Asia and Europe, showed interest in products showcased by UZGA - the export version of the Forpost-RE reconnaissance and strike drone and the UTS-800 trainer aircraft. The reaction of the professional community was particularly valuable for development of the UTS-800 project and the domestic turboprop engine VK-800 intended in particular for this airplane," Zgirovskaya said in conclusion of the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, where the airplane was demonstrated.
The professionals gave a high estimate in the first instance to the import phaseout degree of the UTS-800, she said. "A number of foreign companies, including European ones, followed the project and did not believe in the possibility that Russia would create an engine of such class. The fact of the completely Russian airplane caused a serious astonishment response. The aircraft and its structural features also triggered real interest of young Saudi engineers and cadets," the spokesperson said.
Many participants in the exhibition in Riyadh showed interest in production cooperation, production localization and technology transfer, and development of training programs, Zgirovskaya noted.
"Such a result affirms correctness of the development vector of Ural Civil Aviation Plant programs," she added.