MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Increased production volumes and efforts to reduce the production cost of the MC-21 aircraft will make it possible to bring its price to around 7.4 bln rubles ($100.9 mln) after 2030, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said in an interview with Kommersant.
As Manturov noted, the issue of the MC-21’s price will remain relevant until 2030 and will gradually be resolved as serial production expands and manufacturing costs decline. According to him, the production cost of the first aircraft will exceed the market price, as the plane received modifications and new components as part of the import substitution process. The authorities plan to offset the difference for airlines through state subsidies.
"The first deliveries will begin once we calculate the price and accordingly ensure compensation to UAC for the difference (between the production cost and the commercial price of the first aircraft). At the same time, after 2030 we will gradually phase out this measure: scaling up production and efforts to reduce production costs will make it possible to reach a figure of around 7.4 bln rubles. Airlines consider this price acceptable, while an independent audit recognized it as fair and commercially viable," he said.
At the same time, the key factor for operators is not so much the aircraft’s price as the size of leasing payments. "On this issue, we remain in dialogue with airlines and are close to reaching consensus," Manturov added.
Earlier, Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov said the state corporation expects to complete certification of the MC-21 in the first quarter of 2027 and launch serial production.
The MC-21 is a Russian short-to medium-haul passenger aircraft project intended to replace the Tu-154 and the Tu-204 family on the domestic market. It is also expected to serve as an alternative to foreign-made aircraft.