Russia is working on constructing Tupolev Tu-214 aircraft using domestically manufactured equipment and parts to replace those previously produced outside the country. This move is one of the consequences of the international sanctions imposed on Russia due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
All testing of the new components will be performed on the Tu-214 registered as 64509, which formerly belonged to Transaero Airlines. This project aims to reactivate the production of more than 100 aircraft of this type, with support from the national government.
United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) stated that the replacement of systems, components, and imported elements will be carried out on this aircraft, which will serve as a laboratory. UAC aims to eliminate reliance on foreign-produced components to resume production of the Tu-214.
The aircraft, now 17 years old, was transferred in June this year to the 407 Civil Aviation Plant in Minsk to be restored and made airworthy again after being in storage for nearly a decade. The Tu-214 received the corporate livery of UAC, a task completed by Belarusian specialists.
Konstantin Timofeev, General Director of Tupolev, stated that «the task is very large-scale, and it is called ‘Revival of National Aircraft Construction.’ We have factories, designers, and the support of the State, the President, and the Government, and most importantly, the necessary financial resources have been allocated. Today, the aircraft is being reborn: there is a government order in the civil aviation development program, and we need to build more than 100 of these aircraft.»
The New Life of the Tupolev Tu-214
The new components and parts of the Tupolev Tu-214 will be produced by Russian and Belarusian companies, generating a significant number of jobs in more than 10 cities across these countries.
The Director of the Technical Support Center in Kazan, Ruslan Islamov, noted that «a fully domestic aircraft is a crucial asset for our State. Therefore, there are likely no differing opinions on the importance of this project and the fact that Tupolev is now leading the way in creating the first domestically produced aircraft with imported components replaced.»
The laboratory aircraft will not only assist in the development of import substitution components but will also be used to study a series of changes in the aircraft’s structure and systems to modernize its design. The Tu-214 currently requires three pilots to operate, which is why Aeroflot CEO Sergei Alexandrovsky believes it is necessary to update the aircraft to be operated by two pilots. The new version of the Tu-214 for two pilots is expected to begin testing in 2026.
The Tu-214 meets modern civil aviation requirements, with a high degree of production localization, and 87% of its components are of domestic origin. The Kazan Aircraft Production Association and Tupolev have until the end of 2024 to replace the imported parts and obtain type certification.
The critical systems to be replaced on the Tu-214 include the HG2030AE21 inertial navigation system, the EGPWS ground proximity warning system, and the RDR-4B weather radar from the American company Honeywell, as well as the Air Cruisers rescue equipment.
