Russia ready to develop joint long-range passenger plane with China to rival Western aircraft

The plan for jointly developed wide-bodied long range passenger aircraft - to compete with Boeing and Airbus - was mooted as Rogozin met his Chinese opposite number Wang Yang in the Siberian city of Irkutsk. 

'We visited the Irkutsk aircraft factory and saw the finish line of the Russian MS-21 aircraft, which will be called the Yak-242,' said the Russian politician. 'Based on these technologies, the Russian side is ready to enter into a joint project to create a passenger aircraft with China.' 

The Irkutsk plant is seen as a main production sites of the new mega-project for a long distance plane. The medium distance MS-21 was developed as as a replacement for the Tu-154 and Tu-134 workhorses, both dating from the Soviet era. 

This Russian aircraft is being manufactured by 'Irkut' Corporation at the Irkutsk Aircraft Factory. It will be available in three versions with 150, 180 and 212 seats, but it could be used as the basis for a larger model for long distance flights. 

Developers of the MS-21 claim that its technical characteristics will be in advance of competitors like Boeing and Airbus. The maiden flight is scheduled for next year. 

China has signaled its desire to advance its strategic partnership with Russia. 

'We intend to advance the corresponding cooperation, especially in some strategic spheres, based on mutual benefits,' said Hua Chynying, a spokesperson for the country's Foreign Ministry. He emphasised 'space and technologies' as areas focused upon in the talks. 

Rogozin had said: 'We intend to advance the process of finalising the most complicated intergovernmental agreements, which would regulate the issue of Russia's intellectual property when it comes to the most hi-tech products to be sold in China. 

'These above all include rocket engines. China is especially interested in it.'

Beijing is interested in 'a number of other services and goods, which are essential for the development of China's space industry, for its moon  programme, above all', he said. 

China's lunar ambitions are 'practically impossible without certain equipment supplied by the Russian Federation'.

The Irkutsk talks also included plans to restore and improve overall trade between the countries. 'We have discussed the issue that really bothers us,' said Rogozin. 'The trade turnover fell by almost 30% because, due to internal and external factors, Russian consumers of Chinese goods stopped buying them.'

This was caused by  an acute decrease in imports from China and fluctuations of the ruble exchange rate as well as the Chinese economic slowdown. 'With Wang Yang, we discussed the list of urgent measures that we have to take in order to return to former figures,' he said.

'The list of strategic projects has expanded, but we stand on the brink of their implementation. It is important to shorten that road. We need to make money. We need it now in order for our economic systems to recover after such a fall.'

Apart from a wide-body long-range aircraft, the list included a heavy helicopter, we well as projects in space cooperation and in ground infrastructure.