MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has launched production of twenty long-range narrow-body Tu-214 jets to replace Boeing and Airbus aircraft, CEO of the Russian company Yuri Slyusar told TASS on Wednesday.

"We are to scale up [serial production] shortly. We have already started production of twenty Tu-214 airplanes," the top manager said.

The production program for the Tu-214 passenger jet is designed for several years, an official spokesperson of UAC told TASS.

The company also plans to increase the production rate for the Il-96 long-range passenger airplane and for the Il-76 transport aircraft. "We plan to ramp up production [for the Il-96]; companies show interest," Slyusar added.