MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Series production of MC-21 passenger jets will start in 2020, a spokesman with the state corporation Rostec told TASS.

"The assembly of serial aircraft will start in 2020. In 2021, first deliveries of MC-21 to customers are planned," the official of the state corporation said.

In August, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said that series production of MC-21 passenger jets would hopefully start in 2021.

In November, Valery Okulov, adviser to director general of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said that UAC plans to manufacture six MC-21 passenger planes in 2021 and twice as many in 2022, bringing the output to 72 aircraft by 2025.

"It is planned to manufacture six MC-21 planes in 2021, twelve in 2022, and 25 in 2023. It is planned to bring the MC-21 output to 72 a year by 2025," he said.

UAC CEO Yuri Slyusar said in mid-November that the corporation planned to increase production of MC-21 medium-haul single-aisle passenger planes to 120 a year. So far, the corporation is capable of manufacturing 70 such aircraft a year.

About project

The MC-21, a Russian medium-haul single-aisle passenger plane, is being developed and manufactured by the Irkut corporation (with UAC being its majority stakeholder). The MC-21-300 (seating from 163 to 211) made its maiden flight in late May 2017. It is also planned to manufacture two more modifications, namely MC-21-200 seating from 132 to 165 passengers and MC-21-400 with up to 250 seats.

The plane is currently undergoing trials and will be certified in Russia in 2020. The Russian certificate will be later validated for the European market. The corporation’s portfolio includes orders for 175 MC-21 planes, with the biggest client being Russia’s flagship air carrier Aeroflot, which has a contract for 50 such aircraft.