Russia's Boeing 787 Dreamliner Alternative to Emerge in 7-10 Years

The project to create a Russian wide-body long-haul aircraft is currently in the research and future design definition phase. This was announced by Vadim Badekha, head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), in an interview with TASS agency. Ixbt.com reports .

According to him, developing such an airliner will take at least 7–10 years. Badekha noted that the process of agreeing on technical requirements for the aircraft is nearing completion, after which the project can move to the next stages.

The UAC head emphasized that the new aircraft must be designed to meet future market demands rather than current ones, as competitors will inevitably launch new models before it enters service. The PD-35 engine is expected to be the core component of the project.

Realistic timelines and feasibility for launching the program can only be determined once the final parameters of the powerplant are defined. Currently, Russia's long-haul fleet consists entirely of foreign airliners, causing operational difficulties for carriers.

Vadim Badekha mentioned the Il-96 as a quick but less efficient solution. However, he acknowledged that this aircraft is significantly inferior to foreign counterparts in terms of economic performance.