Russia to Set Aside $113M to Improve MC-21 Engine

Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced a tender for the improvement of PD-14 engines MC-21 passenger aircraft.

Under this plan, Russia plans to remove limitations of the engine, increase the resource, as well as maintenance intervals and increase reliability.

The maximum value of the contract is 6.6 billion rubles (nearly $113 million). It must be completed from August 2022 to December 2024.

PD-14 was developed by the United Engine Corporation (UEC). In the existing modification, it was certified in Russia at the end of 2018.

Before Russian invasion of Ukraine, it planned to equip the MC-21 aircraft with both Russian PD-14 and American Pratt & Whitney engines. First four aircraft were expected to be fitted with imported engines delivered at the end of 2022. Rossiya airlines, part of the Aeroflot group, was chosen as their recipient.

Western sanctions, however, have limited the supply of components for the aviation industry to the Russian Federation. In this regard, all MC-21s for commercial operation will be supplied with PD-14s.

Customers will receive the first six aircraft in 2024, Rostec head Sergei Chemezov said previously.

By 2025, Russia plans to produce 36 MC-21s annually, and then it wants to increase it to 72 per year.