Russian-Made commercial aircraft, including the Superjet SJ-100 and the MC-21, are set to undergo a significant transformation as they prepare to adopt a new brand identity.
In a recent interview with the Russian financial news outlet RBK, Sergey Chemezov, the influential head of Rostec, the state aerospace, engineering, and defense conglomerate, revealed plans to revive the historic ‘Yakovlev’ brand for all Russian-made aircraft.
The renaming of Russian-made aircraft has been discussed for several years, with Rostec taking a decisive step in this direction by renaming its commercial aircraft subsidiary Irkut to ‘Yakovlev’ in July 2023.
Founded in the 1930s and now operating under Rostec, Yakovlev is one of the prestigious ‘Design Bureaus’ that flourished during the Soviet era, alongside respected colleagues like Tupolev and Ilyushin.
The legacy of Yakovlev extends from its historical contributions to military aviation to its recent ventures, such as the Yak-130, an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft. The Yak-42, a three-engine jet designed to accommodate up to 120 passengers and introduced in the late 1970s, marked the pinnacle of Yakovlev’s production line aircraft.
In addition to the rebranding initiative, Chemezov highlighted the anticipated shift away from Western-made aircraft by Russian airlines, foreseeing a more pronounced transition by 2030 due to the growing challenges associated with maintaining the existing fleet. Chemezov stated that Rostec is prepared to fill this gap with a range of domestically manufactured aircraft.
Moreover, Chemezov confirmed the delivery of 11 Tu-214 aircraft for Aeroflot. Rostec is working to meet the airline’s demand to reduce the number of pilots from three to two in this model.
