Russian Prime Minister Boasts Unmatched MS-21 Passenger Plane

Russian Prime Minister Boasts Unmatched MS-21 Passenger Plane

Sanctions pushed Russia to develop domestic production of aircraft which peaked in the creation of next-generation passenger planes MS-21 with features far exceeding foreign competitors, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2021) Sanctions pushed Russia to develop domestic production of aircraft which peaked in the creation of next-generation passenger planes MS-21 with features far exceeding foreign competitors, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Saturday.

MS-21 are about to complete tests and enter commercial use. The single-aisle airplanes have largest existing fuselage diameter in their class and customizable cabin for greater passenger comfort, as well as a state-of-the-art wing design.

"All this required import of materials, which stopped because of the sanctions. In a very short time, we started to produce analog materials on our own, while foreign companies ended up losing the Russian market," Mishustin said at Russia-hosted science clinic New Knowledge.

The prime minister considers MS-21 one of the symbols of Russian aircraft industry's recovery from the crisis caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

"We built a truly good machine, which is the best in its class," Mishustin said and stressed that given that MS-21 features that make it superior to analogs were invented and are manufactured in Russia, "our competitors will not have anything similar anytime soon for sure."

The annual New Knowledge event, often called a "marathon," includes several days of lectures, talks and discussions by prominent experts and professionals across a range of fields, including science, technology, sports, history, and culture.

The 2021 edition kicked off in Moscow on Thursday. Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak are among about 150 invited guest speakers.