Russia’s deputy prime minister, Denis Manturov, has indicated that a proposed widebody twinjet family would be powered by a lower-thrust derivative of the Aviadvigatel PD-35 engine.
Manturov stated in an interview with Russian news agency TASS that the engine would be designated the PD-26, in reference to its 26t (255kN) thrust capability.
The engine has been put forward as a candidate for a 100t military transport aircraft, Manturov stated ahead of a economic forum in Vladivostok.
United Aircraft recently filed a detailed patent for a widebody twinjet family, similar to the Boeing 787, which would carry 240-320 passengers.
But the filing did not contain much information about engine requirements.
Manturov says the PD-26 “can also be used” for a widebody passenger airliner.
United Engine has been developing the PD powerplant family for a range of aircraft – its PD-14 and PD-8 are flying on the Yakovlev MC-21-310 and SJ-100 respectively, with both types undergoing certification.
It has been working on the PD-35 for high-thrust applications, including the proposed CRAIC CR929 – a twinjet which had been conceived as a joint Russian-Chinese widebody – as well as a potential successor to the Antonov An-124.
