Russia’s domestically produced ms-21 passenger aircraft completes first test flight

Monday 03 - 14:30

By: Azzat Manal

Russia’s domestically produced ms-21 passenger aircraft completes first test flight

Russia has reached a new milestone in its aviation industry with the successful first test flight of the MS-21-310 passenger aircraft, a model manufactured entirely with domestically produced components.

The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that the aircraft took off from the airfield of the Yakovlev company’s facility at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. The flight marked an important step in the testing program designed to verify the aircraft’s reliability and performance.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Gennady Abraminkov said that the aircraft has already completed around half of the planned reliability flight tests. He added that deliveries of production aircraft will begin once the full certification process has been completed.

Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov previously indicated that the aircraft’s experimental testing program is expected to be completed during the first quarter of next year, while final certification is planned before the end of 2027.

The MS-21 is a new-generation narrow-body, medium-range passenger aircraft developed by Yakovlev. The plane is designed to carry between 163 and 211 passengers, making it a competitor in the global market for commercial aircraft.

The development of the domestically produced version of the MS-21 represents a major effort by Russia to strengthen its aerospace sector and reduce dependence on foreign technologies. The project is also part of a broader strategy to expand national aircraft production capabilities and support the country’s commercial aviation industry.