Russian MS-21 aircraft to be fitted with U.S. engines
MOSCOW. June 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian aircraft maker Irkut and Pratt&Whitney have signed an agreement to use U.S. engines on the Russian MS-21 narrow-fuselage aircraft, the corporation said in a press release obtained by Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"The Irkut Corporation, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation, and Pratt&Whitney (U.S.), a United Technologies Corp. company, have signed a final agreement on Pratt&Whitney PurePower PW1400G engines for the MS-21 aircraft engine," the statement said.
Under the contract, this engine will become the only foreign-made propulsion unit for the new MS-21 narrow-fuselage aircraft, the press office said.
Irkut and Pratt&Whitney also chose Short Brothers plc., a subsidiary of Bombardier Aerospace of Canada, as an exclusive supplier of nacelles for the PW1400G engines.
Irkut has been working to create the family of MS-21 aircraft with a 150 to 210 seat capacity. The aircraft's first flight with the PW1400G engine is scheduled for 2015, commissioning due in 2017. PurePower PW1400G engines for MS-21 aircraft will develop a thrust between 25,000 and 32,000 pounds.