Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Denies Signing Deal With Iran on Superjet 100 Aircraft Delivery

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft manufacturer, has denied the signature of a contract for SSJ100 delivery to Iran, following numerous reports to this effect in the international media, a company press release said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Iranian agency FARS reported that within the MAKS-2017 airshow in Zhukovsky a contract was signed to supply several SSJ100 to Iran.

It was noted that the ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials of the defense departments of Iran and Russia. Earlier this year, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak stated that Iran could buy 12 SSJ100 aircraft.

SSJ-100 performed a demonstration flight in Tehran in December before representatives of Iranian airlines. A few airlines showed interest, but they remained cautious amid reports that Russia had grounded the plane due to safety concerns.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a modern fly-by-wire twin-engine regional jet with 8 (VIP)[9] to 108 (all economy) passenger seats. With development initiated in 2000, the airliner was designed and spearheaded by Sukhoi, a division of the Russian civil aerospace company (UAC), in co-operation with several foreign partners.

Its maiden flight was conducted on 19 May 2008. On 21 April 2011, the Superjet 100 undertook its first commercial passenger flight, on the Armavia route from Yerevan to Moscow.