The United Aircraft Corporation is expanding production of the Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 despite concerns that sanctions might impede supplies of foreign-made components used to build the aircraft, the company's CEO said.
"Sanctions, of course, have some impact [but] not a direct impact that affects the supply of certain components, and as such we are committed to the implementation of those plans that stand before us," Mikhail Pogosyan said Saturday, RIA Novosti reported.
The Superjet 100 is built by subsidiary Sukhoi Civil Aircraft in collaboration with U.S. and European partners to compete in the medium-haul airliner market. The 110-seat plane entered commercial service in 2011.
The Superjet has gotten off to an underwhelming start, however, as a combination of strengthened competition from abroad, costly development delays and a fatal crash in Indonesia in 2012 have made it difficult to penetrate the civilian aircraft market.
Pogosyan said that while 25 Superjets were built last year, the company plans to make 40 this year and 50 in 2015.
Mexico's Interjet, among the first non-Russian airlines to buy into Superjet signed an $800 million contract last year to buy 20 of the aircraft, with an option on another 10.
See also: