Russia’s government has indicated that the Irkut MC-21 will be redesignated as the Yak-242 once the twinjet type goes into serial production.
The disclosure came from Russian deputy premier Dmitry Rogozin – a senior defence figure in the country – during a visit to the Irkut aviation facility this week.
Rogozin visited the plant, he said, to “verify the preparedness” of the country’s aircraft industry to meet not only state defence orders but to develop civil products.
Irkut will unveil the first MC-21 prototype in summer 2015, Rogozin said, adding that facilities in Perm would produce the Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine for the type.
He also disclosed that, once serial production is under way, the aircraft will be known as the Yak-242, according to an official Irkut government statement.
The Yakovlev Yak-242 name was originally attached to a 130- to 180-seat twinjet proposal of the 1990s, which eventually evolved into the MC-21.
But it is unclear whether a revival of the identity would also carry the Yakovlev association.
Rogozin was shown initial assemblies for the first prototype MC-21 during the visit to the Irkut plant. He was accompanied by the regional governor as well as Irkut chief Oleg Demchenko.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
