Russia unveils competitor to Boeing and Airbus

Russia unveiled on Wednesday its new passenger plane MC-21, billed as a competitor to Boeing and Airbus even as the project is overshadowed by sanctions and setbacks with its predecessor, the Superjet.

The medium-haul MC-21, which is produced by Siberian-based manufacturer Irkut and seats up to 211 passengers, is the industry’s big hope after setbacks with the regional Sukhoi Superjet 100 liner, launched in 2011 as the first post-Soviet civilian airplane.

President Vladimir Putin formally opened the MAKS air salon outside Moscow Tuesday with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was enticed with Sukhoi fighter jets.

MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow
Russian passenger plane Irkut MS-21-300 in flight during the MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow. EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

The showpiece of this year’s MAKS is the new civilian aircraft, which will be formally shown to potential clients after more than a decade in the making and multiple delays.

Russia will also showcased for the first time its Su-57 fighter on Wednesday.

MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow
Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighters perform during the MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscowr. EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

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