OAK to cease Tu-204 production ahead of starting MS-21

By Tom Zaitsev

Russia's United Aircraft (OAK) plans to cease producing the Tupolev Tu-204 twinjet ahead of launching manufacture of the all-new MS-21 next-generation airliner in 2015.

OAK executive vice-president civil aviation Valery Bezverkhny says annual production of the twinjet will not exceed 15-16 in all variants over the next few years.

"Taking account of feasible orders from domestic and foreign airlines, it is realistic to supply fewer than 100 aircraft before 2015," he adds. "Afterwards, we'll only provide technical support for that aircraft family."

The target number includes production of the upgraded Tu-204SM model, which is being developed as a successor for the baseline Tu-204-100.

"If it becomes available in 2010 as planned, we estimate the potential demand for this model at 50-60 units," says OAK in-house lessor Ilyushin Finance.

OAK has chosen the MS-21, which is touted as the first next-generation narrowbody replacement design, as its sole prospective product on the mainline airliner side. Bezverkhny says it should go into serial production by the time the last of the Tu-204s is completed.