Mikhail Mishustin: “The government is providing the industry with maximum support. A state programme is being implemented, for which 40.5 billion roubles are being allocated this year, and about the same amount next year. These funds include the upgrade of production facilities and engineering centres and the creation of advanced engines. We subsidise research and development and design efforts in priority areas of the aircraft industry.”
Mikhail Mishustin’s opening remarks:
Colleagues, good afternoon.
Before we begin our meeting, a few words about the current date.
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects. With Denis Manturov and Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects. Moment of silence
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects. With Denis Manturov
Denis Manturov at the meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects
Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov at the meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects
Meeting on civil aircraft engineering projects. With Denis Manturov and Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov
June 22 is Day of Memory and Grief in Russia: 82 years ago, the Great Patriotic War broke out. We carefully preserve our history, the history of our fathers, grandfathers, mothers, and grandmothers. And we will always respect the heroic accomplishment of those who defended the country from enemies. Thanks to their courage, heroism, fortitude and boundless valour, Nazism was defeated.
I propose to honour the memory of the heroes.
I declare a moment of silence.
(Moment of silence.)
Please sit down.
The Kazan Aviation Plant, where we are holding our meeting today, made a major contribution to the Great Victory. During the Great Patriotic War, it literally operated around the clock. The plant produced thousands of planes. Their role in combat operations cannot be overestimated.
Now the plant is Russia’s leading enterprise for the design, manufacture and aftersales support of missile carriers and special-purpose airliners. Competent and talented specialists who love their job are working here today, just like in the past.
Today we talked to the plant’s workers and engineers. It is thanks to them that the Tu-214 passenger aircraft are manufactured and the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 long-range planes are modernised.
Most of the machine-tools used here are domestic made. We also talked at length with the engineers today and saw the new range finders, among other things, the machines which work with fairly large parts and allow for large-scale assembly. The equipment is advanced. The plant implements the most up-to-date technologies and uses Russian raw materials.
We pay great attention to aircraft manufacturing. It is a strategic, backbone industry. The President has set the task of developing domestic aviation, building and operating Russian-made aircraft, which is, of course, especially important given the unprecedented sanctions pressure currently affecting our industry. What is also very important is the safety and comfort of passenger air travel. These are the key issues that we will be discussing today.
It is necessary to reduce dependence on foreign materials and components, get the production of domestic aircraft back on track and expand their line.
Moreover, there is huge demand for domestic aircraft. Our companies require up-to-date planes to transport cargo and passengers. They need both small models for intraregional flights and medium- and long-haul aircraft.
There already are results. Last year, the MC-21 aircraft with a Russian PD-14 engine and a composite wing was certified. Aerodynamic tests of prototypes of the regional Ilyushin IL-114 and the Baikal light multi-purpose aircraft were successfully carried out. The updated Sukhoi Superjet is also being tested. It will now be equipped with fifth-generation domestic engines, PD-8. Its first flight is planned in the near future.
The government is providing the industry with maximum support. A state programme is being implemented, for which 40.5 billion roubles are being allocated this year, and about the same amount next year. These funds include the upgrade of production facilities and engineering centres and the creation of advanced engines and other important projects.
We subsidise research and development and design efforts in priority areas of the aircraft industry. In particular, Mr Manturov and I discussed this area of focus recently – more than 90 billion roubles for such purposes are envisaged in the three-year budget, including about 37 billion for this year.
Last summer, the Government, in line with the President’s instruction, adopted a comprehensive aircraft industry development programme. According to it, over 1,000 civil aircraft will be produced by 2030.
And, of course, the Kazan Aviation Plant plays a special role in this respect. In 18 months, by 2025, it should be producing 10 Tupolev Tu-214 planes annually. This model’s main advantage is that it is fully equipped with domestic components, including Russian PS-90A turbofan engines. And of course, it is very important to step up the construction of such planes.
By the way, today we spoke with Tu-214 pilots, who said that they have no doubts about the reliability of this aircraft. Pilots praise it regarding all the parameters of flight safety and reliability.
Today we will discuss further steps to support this project, as well as how to expand the sector and additional funding necessary for this.
