Russia Plans to Have Domestically-Produced Avionics for MC-21 Aircraft by End of 2023

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has plans to create domestically-produced avionics for its new twin-jet airliner, the MC-21, by the end of 2023, according to documents for participants in a relevant tender. MC-21's airborne avionics is currently comprised of systems produced by French company Thales and US firms Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. The draft enclosure to the planned agreement says that avionics development, tests, and certification should be completed by the fourth quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, the document says the deadline may be shifted, taking into consideration "the date of avionics development under the basic certificate" and "Russia-made components readiness and conformity with technical specifications". The company Irkut that produces the airliner has confirmed plans to equip the MC-21 with Russian avionics, adding that "competition procedures" were still underway. The MC-21-300 is a next-generation aircraft that has a carrying capacity of up to 211 passengers. It conducted its first flight on 28 May 2017. Certification is expected to be completed in 2020, while batch production is set to start in 2021. Aeroflot airlines is expected to become the first operator of the new aircraft. Read more: https://sputniknews.com/russia/202001241078120287-russia-plans-having-home-produced-avionics-for-mc-21-aircraft-by-2023-end/