In the summer of 2026, the first of 42 previously ordered serial import-substituted Superjets are being assembled in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Six Russian regional airliners are more than 90% ready by August, and another 21 aircraft are at various stages of assembly. We will tell you in our article when the deliveries will begin.
The Yakovlev branch's production center in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is assembling 27 aircraft as part of an order for 42 new Superjets contracted by Russian airlines. Six aircraft have already reached more than ninety percent readiness, which indicates that they are close to the final stage of production. The production center is already ready for serial production of the fully import-substituted SJ-100 after completion of all certification tests in 2026.
The first production aircraft (97024) was already involved in the certification test program in the summer of 2026, and a set of PD-8 engines is expected to arrive for the next flight, after installation and completion of assembly, the machine will take to the sky. Serial production of the PD-8 has been deployed at the enterprise in Rybinsk, and in June 2026 the engine received a type certificate confirming its compliance with airworthiness requirements. The first engine kits have already been manufactured, and their delivery to the aircraft factory is planned in the near future.
In the new configuration, the Russian regional aircraft received standard horizontal wingtips ("cyberlets"), as well as an integrated ramp. Horizontal wingtips have already been used on Superjet aircraft and were certified even before the start of the import substitution program. The use of cyberlighters makes it possible to increase fuel efficiency by about four percent, improve take-off and landing characteristics and reduce noise levels on the ground. In the import-substituted modification, the ends also provide the ability to operate the aircraft on runways about 1,900 meters long. The built-in ramp is designed to operate at airfields without a developed ground infrastructure, which is important for some regional airports.
The demand of Russian regions for new aircraft of this size is estimated at about 100 units in 2026. Part of this need should be covered by the supply of Superjets, and part by new IL-114-300 turboprop aircraft. There is already talk of using new "Suprajet" for domestic transportation in the Far East, including routes between cities such as Okhotsk, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Yakutsk and Magadan. Komsomolsk-on-Amur can produce up to 37 new Superjets per year – this rate corresponds to the maximum level that the company previously reached in the production of aircraft of the previous version (36 units with foreign components, the very first version, editor's note). The import-substituted machine is maximally unified with the basic version (built before 2022 in the number of 230 aircraft), the actual production volumes will depend on the needs of the market and the demand of airlines, but it is already obvious that the aircraft has a long history ahead.
Ivan Zakharov
