Aeroflot has signed a contract for 90 additional Yakovlev MC-21-310 narrowbody jets, increasing its commitment to the Russian-built aircraft to 108 units.
The agreement was signed on September 18 by Aeroflot and three companies controlled by state-owned Rostec: United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), leasing company Aviacapital-Service and United Engine Corporation (UEC).
Deliveries under the new contract are scheduled to begin in 2029. Aeroflot is due to receive 14 aircraft that year, followed by 18 in 2030, 24 in 2031 and 34 in 2032.
The 90 aircraft are in addition to 18 MC-21s contracted in 2023. Aeroflot expects the first eight from that batch in the fourth quarter of 2027 and another ten in 2028.
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The agreement also covers flight simulators, crew and technical personnel training, maintenance software and technical support for all 108 aircraft for 22 years.
State companies on both sides
Such a large commitment to the MC-21 is hardly unexpected. Aeroflot is controlled by the Russian government, while UAC, Yakovlev and engine manufacturer UEC are part of Rostec, the state-owned industrial conglomerate.
Aeroflot is expected to become the launch operator of the current MC-21-310. Seventeen aircraft intended for the airline are already in different stages of assembly at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.
The type has yet to complete certification in its extensively revised Russian configuration. Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov expects certification in 2027, while Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov recently said deliveries would begin in the second half of next year.
MC-21 will join large Airbus and Boeing operation
The MC-21 will initially operate alongside a substantial number of Western-built narrowbody aircraft rather than immediately replace them.
Planespotters data shows Aeroflot with about 58 Airbus A320s, 35 A321s and 37 Boeing 737-800s, including aircraft currently parked. Most are not particularly old: the airline's entire aircraft inventory has an average age of about 10.6 years.
Aeroflot itself said this month that it expects most of its Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies to remain in service through 2030 and potentially 2035 because they still have considerable useful life.
The MC-21-310 is powered by two Russian Aviadvigatel PD-14 turbofans and incorporates domestic replacements for dozens of systems previously supplied by foreign companies.
Yakovlev advertises a maximum capacity of 211 passengers, but this corresponds to a high-density layout. The manufacturer uses a 175-passenger, two-class configuration when quoting the aircraft's maximum range of 3,830 km. Aeroflot has not disclosed the cabin layout for its aircraft.
That published range is substantially below those of comparable Western narrowbodies. Airbus lists 6,200 km for the A320ceo and 5,950 km for the A321ceo, while Boeing gives the 737-800 a range of up to 5,190 km.
The delivery schedule will require UAC to increase production considerably. Rostec has said it plans to reach an annual rate of 36 MC-21s.
Aeroflot alone is scheduled to receive 34 aircraft in 2032, leaving little margin at that production rate for deliveries to other customers during the year.
