Irkut looks west for MC-21 engines, avionics and systems
Irkut Corporation is evaluating tenders from Western engine, avionics and systems suppliers for its proposed new MC-21 family of narrowbody airliners.

Irkut Corporation is evaluating tenders from Western engine, avionics and systems suppliers for its proposed new MC-21 family of narrowbody airliners. The Russian airframer (Hall 4 Stand C114) wants the first of the new model to enter service in 2016, and it intends to offer variants with capacity of 150, 180 and 210 seats.

According to Irkut president Oleg Demchenko, the high level of international cooperation in the development of Sukhoi’s Superjet 100 program has paved the way for leading OEMs such as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and Thales to become partners in the new program. Initially, the MC-21 is intended as a replacement for the ubiquitous but aging Tupolev Tu-154, with target markets focused on Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, India, China, Southeast Asia and Latin America.