March 18, 2025 (EIRNS)—On March 17, the Russian state-owned Rostec defense conglomerate (officially known as the State Corporation for the Promotion of the Development, Manufacture, and Export of High-Tech Products) announced that a prototype of Russia’s new SJ-100 superjet, powered by a Russian domestically developed and produced engine, completed its first test flight. Its success was made possible by Western nations’ insane imposition of sanctions against Russia.
Sanctions placed immense pressure on the JSC Sukhoi company, which made the SJ version jet with a range of between 3,000 and 4,500 km, greater than typical regional jets, and capable of carrying between 60 and 98 seats (depending on the variant). JSC Sukhoi discovered it was restricted from purchasing landing gear, avionics (aviation electronics), auxiliary power units, and engine parts. Rostec, which owns United Aircraft Corporation, the parent company of Sukhoi, determined that, instead of powering the plane with imported engines, partially from France, it would develop its own.
