The Russian government has announced that the MC-21 passenger plane produced by the Irkut company and the Superjet 100 aircraft built by Sukhoi will be marketed under a common brand. This is an initiative which aims to consolidate the national civil aviation industry.

"I do not deny that we are working on the consolidation of brands. I will not reveal below the decision we are approaching, but of course we will announce it shortly", said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, interviewed by the Russian state news agency "Tass".

The manufacturer Irkut is today a division of the Russian company United Aircraft Corporation (Uac), 92% controlled by the national giant Rostec, which operates in the technology, defense and aviation sectors. The same goes for Sukhoi, which since 2006 together with Mikoyan, Ilyushin, Tupolev, Irkut and Yakovlev have been part of United Aircraft Corporation.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is produced today by Russian Sukhoi and Italian Leonardo. It made its first flight in May 2008 and entered service in 2010 with the first purchase by the Aeroflot company. Equipped with Franco-Russian engines, it can accommodate 195 passengers on board. After Moscow's military invasion of Ukraine, the manufacturer announced the replacement of components produced abroad with made in Russia parts.

The Irkut MC-21 aircraft instead made its first flight in May 2017 and is expected to enter service in 2025, marketing postponed for two years due to the war in Ukraine. Developed entirely in Russia, the prototype features American Pratt & Whitney engines, which will therefore have to be replaced due to international sanctions. Finally, it can accommodate up to 211 passengers on board.