Rostec to Build Test Facility for Engine of Russian-Chinese Wide-body Aircraft

United Engine Corporation (UEC), a Rostec subsidiary, will build a $300 million test facility for the prospective PD-35 aircraft engine, which is proposed to be used in the Russian-Chinese CR929 Long Range Wide Body aircraft.

The testing facilities will be created at JSC "UEC-PERM ENGINE". There will be about 40,000 square meters of production, administration and accommodation, and engineering areas with state-of-the-art equipment on the premises of the test facility in Russia’s Perm Krai. The first test stands will be built in 2021.

"The objectives during the implementation of the prospective PD-35 project include exhaustive tests of both separate subassemblies and full-size engines. To achieve this, we have already started preparing designs for facilities. I would like to remind that the PD-35 engine is one of the most significant developments in Russian aviation," said Victor Kladov, Director for International Cooperation and Regional Policy Department of Rostec.

UEC started the development of the PD-35 engine in the summer of 2016. The bypass turbofan engine is expected to have increased thrust (up to 35 tonnes) to be installed in prospective wide-body aircraft. The PD-35 project widely uses the scientific and technical knowledge obtained during the development of the Russian PD-14 engine for the prospective MS-21-300 aircraft.

Currently, the design of the PD-35 engine has been determined, cooperation between industry enterprises has been established, and issues related to breakthrough technologies for project implementation have been identified. This allows creating a competitive engine of the late 2020s. A family of high thrust engines may be created on the PD-35 base.

On September 20, 2017, during Aviation Expo China 2017 held in Beijing, UEC signed a cooperation memorandum with the Chinese company AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd. (AECC CAE) on the development of a gas turbine engine for the prospective CR929 Russian-Chinese long range wide-body aircraft (LRWBA).