LE BOURGET, June 16. /TASS/. Russia's Irkutsk Aviation Plant will increase production of Sukhoi aircraft by half, its director general told TASS at the Paris International Air Show on Tuesday.
"This year we delivered four SU-30SM aircraft to Kazakhstan," Alexander Veprev said. "Now, a new batch of planes has been prepared to be handed over to the Russian navy. The next batch will be supplied to Russia's air force. Some are already at the airport, the rest in the final assembly shop."
"Production volume will grow 50% compared to last year," Veprev said, assessing no problems with output capacity.
"We took all necessary measures in 2014, increasing the volume of core operations and employing 700 new personnel. With these reserves, we will carry out the plan for 2015."
Civilian production at the plant was just beginning, he said, pointing to the experimental Irkut MS-21, first of its kind.
Military products would continue to constitute most of the plant’s current production, the chief said, adding that supplies of the new MS-21 civilian airliner were likely to begin in 2017.
Launch of serial production for a new airliner would gradually equalise military and civil output, however, Veprev added.