Boeing, Sukhoi pool efforts to build new airliner<\/p>\n
The Boeing Corp. and Russia's top aircraft maker, Sukhoi,
\nwhose combat planes once faced each other across the Iron Curtain
\nhave presented their plans for the joint development and
\nmarketing of a new short-range airliner.<\/p>\n
The prospective airliner, called the Russian Regional Jet, or
\nRRJ, is set to make its maiden flight in January 2006 and enter
\nservice in 2007.<\/p>\n
Russian and foreign airlines are expected to buy over 600 such
\naircraft worth a total of US$11 billion - about one-tenth of the
\nprospective global market for that category of planes, Sukhoi
\ndirector Mikhail Pogosyan said recently.<\/p>\n
Boeing has signed a contract with Sukhoi to provide advisory
\nexpertise and intellectual property in design, production,
\ncertification, marketing, sales, program management and post-
\nproduction support of the RRJ.<\/p>\n
\"This is an excellent example of our cooperation,\" said Sergei
\nKravchenko, Boeing's vice president for cooperative programs with
\nRussia. \"We are happy that we can contribute technologies and
\nknow-how to make the program successful.\"<\/p>\n
Over the last 11 years, Boeing has invested US$1.3 billion in
\ncooperative programs with Russia - including space launches,
\npurchases of Russian titanium and other products, and the
\ndevelopment of air routes over the North Pole, which could cut
\nflying times on long journeys.<\/p>\n
The project comes at a time when the United States and Russia
\nare seeking ways to increase economic cooperation.<\/p>\n
\"This really does symbolize the potential for real U.S.-
\nRussian cooperation,\" U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said
\nafter attending Wednesday's presentation at Boeing's Moscow
\ndesign center, which employs 500 Russian aerospace engineers.<\/p>\n
\"This center really shows how two countries with strong
\naerospace traditions can combine their strength to the benefit of
\nboth countries,\" Vershbow said.<\/p>\n
He expressed hope that Boeing's involvement in building the
\nnew jet would prompt Russia to \"open the door a little wider to
\nthe imports of some of Boeing's other products.\"<\/p>\n
Russia's top airline, Aeroflot, operates a small fleet of
\nBoeings, but has voiced no immediate intention to buy more,
\ninstead signing a deal last November to acquire 18 planes from
\nBoeing's European rival, Airbus.<\/p>\n
Aeroflot has said it could buy at least 30 RRJs by 2010, and
\nexperts believe other carriers in Russia and other ex-Soviet
\nrepublics will buy the new planes to replace their Soviet-built
\nTu-134s, An-24s and Yak-40s, which date back to the 1960s.<\/p>\n
Pogosian said his company expects to receive orders for 40-60
\nRRJs from Aeroflot and other Russian carriers next year. He said
\nAir France also expressed interest in the new plane.<\/p>\n
Boeing and Sukhoi plan to build the two-engine RRJ in three
\ndifferent versions, accommodating 60, 75 or 95 passengers. The
\nplane is to be powered by SM146 engines jointly developed by
\nFrance's Snecma Moteurs and Russia's NPO Saturn.<\/p>\n
The RRJ will be the first civilian airliner to be produced by
\nSukhoi, a renowned maker of fighter jets since Soviet times.
\nPart of the estimated US$600 million needed to develop the RRJ is
\nto come from the Russian government. The project won a government
\ntender for such aircraft earlier this year, opening the way for a
\nstate funding. Associated Press<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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