Russia’s SJ-100 Superjet Makes First Domestic Test Flight

Russia’s first fully domestically built Superjet, now branded the SJ-100, has successfully completed its maiden test flight, according to state defense and industrial conglomerate Rostec. The milestone marks a major step in Moscow’s push to create a self-sufficient commercial aviation sector following Western sanctions that cut access to foreign technology.

The SJ-100’s one-hour test flight on September 5 reached speeds of around 500 kilometers per hour (310 miles per hour) and an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). It follows earlier prototype flights in April and June that validated the stable operation of its domestically produced systems. Rostec said the program is now transitioning into mass production.

This new version of the Superjet replaces “dozens” of imported components, including the fuselage, flight-control systems, and landing gear, with Russian-made alternatives. The Yakovlev Production Center in Komsomolsk-on-Amur currently has 24 SJ-100 aircraft in various stages of assembly, all awaiting certification flights and approval from Russia’s civil aviation authority.

Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, which took control of the program last year after delays and safety issues, plans to complete 200 test flights by the end of 2025 to secure certification for mass production. Designed to seat about 100 passengers, the SJ-100 is a key element of Russia’s strategy to strengthen its domestic aerospace industry, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, and ensure continuity of its regional jet fleet amid tightening international restrictions.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com