Russia Flies First Fully Domestic Series-Produced MS-21 Airliner

For the first time, a series-produced MS-21 aircraft built entirely with domestic Russian components has successfully taken to the skies. The MS-21-310 narrow-body airliner, capable of carrying between 163 and 211 passengers, completed its maiden flight from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. Equipped with Russian PD-14 engines and fully localized systems, the aircraft marked a significant achievement in the country’s aviation manufacturing efforts. The test flight lasted 83 minutes, reaching an altitude of 6,000 meters and a speed of 600 kilometers per hour while validating the plane’s stability and onboard systems.

United Aircraft Corporation confirmed that the yellow-painted aircraft, serial number 73362, performed as expected during the factory trials and was accompanied by a fighter jet escort. Officials described the successful outing as validation of production readiness for serial manufacturing. This flight represents a major step in Russia’s long-running import substitution program, which aims to replace previously relied-upon foreign components with domestically produced alternatives. The Irkutsk plant is already preparing an initial batch of 18 aircraft as part of the rollout.

Certification of the fully Russian version is targeted for 2027, after which serial deliveries to airlines, including Aeroflot, are expected to begin. The achievement demonstrates progress in establishing an independent supply chain for civil aviation. Industry observers note that continued testing and production scaling will determine how quickly the aircraft enters regular commercial service.