Minister of Industry and Trade: IL-96-400M should expand the fleet of civilian aircraft
Opening the Curtains on the Future of Russian Aviation: Il-96-400M Ready to Soar
At the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Anton Alikhanov, head of Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade, spilled the beans to TASS. According to him, the domestically produced Il-96-400M, a fancy upgrade of the Il-96-300, will soon grace the passenger fleet of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) in the wide-body aircraft segment.
This aircraft, a slicked-up version of the Il-96-300 produced at the Voronezh Aircraft Plant since the late '80s, is set to join the lineup alongside the MSC-21-310, SJ-100, and Tu-214 to ensure a comprehensive network of domestic and international routes, replacing foreign competitors.
"This bird will be the backbone of our air transport network, providing both passenger services and cargo logistics," Alikhanov summed up.
As previously reported by "Monokle", the Il-96-400M made its maiden voyage in November 2023. The flight lasted 26 minutes, cruising at altitudes of up to 2,000 meters and speeds of 390 km/h. In December of the same year, Deputy Prime Minister and then-Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov announced that the Il-96-400M would primarily cater to cargo operations but could eventually venture into passenger services, provided that the ideal engine thrust (26, 35, or 38 tons) is determined.
Manturov also mentioned that if suitable interest is expressed by transport companies, the aircraft's powerplant configuration may be modified by installing two PD-35 turbofans in place of four to boost its competitiveness.
Besides the Il-96-400M, UAC is funneling resources into the research and development of an entirely new generation of wide-body, long-haul aircraft, leaving their mark on the skies after 2030.
Enrichment Points:
- The Il-96-400M prototype completed a successful maiden flight in November 2023 and was publicly unveiled in June 2023.
- Serial or mass production is still under consideration, with authorities and UAC evaluating airline interest and market conditions.
- The PD-35 turbofans are being considered for the Il-96-400M to reduce the reliance on foreign powerplants amid sanctions.
- Planned to seat around 390 passengers in a single-class configuration, the Il-96-400M is designed to rival Western wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777-9 and Airbus A350-1000.
- The Il-96-400M is part of Russia's strategic effort to replace foreign wide-body aircraft with domestically produced alternatives, including older models like the Boeing and Airbus wide-bodies.
The Il-96-400M, recently showcased after its successful test flight in November 2023, is anticipated to contribute significantly to both passenger services and cargo logistics within the air transport network, positioning itself as a potential rival to Western wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777-9 and Airbus A350-1000. In the future, the aircraft's powerplant configuration might be modified to install two PD-35 turbofans, a move aimed at reducing dependence on foreign powerplants amid sanctions.
