Tupolev Design Bureau (Zhukovsky) and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (Zhukovsky) could be tasked with increasing the production of their home-grown aircraft as Moscow moves to reduce Russia's dependency on foreign-owned, Western-built jets.
Following the suspension of services of Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) budget carrier, Dobrolet (Moscow Sheremetyevo), as a result of European and US sanctions, Russia has said it now intends to establish its own domestic carrier equipped with only locally-made aircraft with Red Wings currently a strong contender given its existing fleet of nine Tu-204s.
With a study currently underway to determine the feasibility of Ilyushin Design Bureau (Zhukovsky) restarting its Il-114 production line, so the Kremlin has stated its intention to order another eleven Tu-204s for onward placement with Red Wings Airlines (WZ, Moscow Domodedovo).
The deputy head of Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry, Yuri Slusar, told the local press last week that the aircraft will then be deployed on Red Wings' flights to Simferopol in the Crimea.
"We are considering making use of the eleven Tu-204s currently stored at Aviastar's Ulyanovsk Vostochny facility as soon as possible. The aircraft will be placed with Red Wings for use on flights to the Crimea," he said.
In addition to the Tu-204s, the carrier will also operate ten SSJ 100/95s with delivery likely to begin in either 2016/17, Slusar said.
