2010–2020
On 29 January 2010, Sukhoi and the UAC revealed Russia's first fifth generation jet fighter, the Sukhoi PAK FA (T-50). The PAK FA is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine, multirole jet fighter designed for air supremacy and attack roles. The PAK FA would also be Russia's first aircraft to use stealth technology. The PAK FA is designed to replace the Mikoyan MiG-29 and the Sukhoi Su-27 and is expected to be introduced to the Russian Air Force in 2019.[29][30][31] Also, under the MTAL joint venture, Sukhoi and HAL would co-develop the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, now known as the Perspective Multirole Fighter (PMF), a variant of the PAK FA, of which would be designed for the Indian Air Force.[32][33] On 11 August 2017, the Russian Air Force designated the Sukhoi PAK FA as the Sukhoi Su-57. On 27 October 2010, the UAC and the Ukrainian state-owned aircraft corporation, Antonov, signed a joint venture contract, LLC UAC - Antonov, in the capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv. The purpose of the joint-venture was to deal with the coordination of Antonov and the UAC on purchasing spare parts, production, marketing, and sales, as well as servicing and joint creation of new modifications of Antonov aircraft, according to Defense-Aerospace.[34]
In 2013, nine aircraft repair plants of the Ministry of Defense were transferred under the ownership of the UAC. As a result, in 2014, the serviceability of the Russian Air Force increased from 40% to 65%.[11]
As a result of Russian military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, international sanctions were invoked against Russia, and because the UAC was part of Russia's aerospace and defense industry,[35] it was sanctioned as well by the European Union.[36] However, the 2014 sanctions did not include the civilian airliner industry of the UAC, such as the Sukhoi Superjet 100, exports of the regional jet to Western nations so the economic activities of Superjet International were not expected to be affected.[37]
In April 2015, the company changed its full name to Public Joint-Stock Company (PJSC) "United Aircraft Corporation" (UAC).[11] In the five years 2011–2015, UAC companies delivered to the Russian Defence Ministry more than 200 aircraft.[38]
On 28 September 2015, according to a resolution by the Ukrainian government, the state-owned corporation Antonov would exit the LLC UAC - Antonov joint venture between the Russian and Ukrainian companies.[34]
On 13 January 2016, India's HAL announced it would cease involvement in the Ilyushin Il-214 MTA project, and that Ilyushin would have to work on the project alone. The project was subsequently redesignated as the "Ilyushin Il-214" (with the MTA removed) since the project is no longer under the Multirole Transport Aircraft Limited joint-venture.[39][40]
On 8 June 2016, UAC officially revealed the Irkut MC-21, its first medium-range jet airliner, when it rolled out in Irkutsk. The aircraft could be the first with an out of autoclave composite manufacturing for its wings. The goal of the MC-21 was to replace the Tupolev Tu-154, Tupolev Tu-134, Tupolev Tu-204, and the Yakovlev Yak-42. and to compete with the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing B737 MAX. Despite the domination of the airliner market by Boeing and Airbus as well as Russian protectionism preventing western companies from being suppliers to the program, the MC-21 was able to make its maiden flight on 28 May 2017, with two prototypes built and another four in assembly, while obtaining a total of 205 orders by July 2017, with an introduction planned in 2019 with Aeroflot.[41]
In 2018, the United Aircraft Corporation's revenue amounted to 53 billion rubles.[42] On 25 June 2016, the UAC and the Chinese Government-owned aircraft corporation, Comac, signed a joint venture contract to create China-Russia Aircraft International Co, Ltd. (CRAIC), to be based in Shanghai to develop a commercial aircraft. According to the UAC, CRAIC is responsible for product and technology development, manufacturing, marketing, sales and customer service, consulting, program management, and other related fields. By 2017, the two companies were cooperating in creating a new generation of long-range wide-body commercial aircraft and taking charge of its operation under the joint venture.[43] The aircraft was named the CRAIC CR-929, formerly the C929, and is intended to compete with the Airbus A330neo and the Boeing 787; thus challenging the Airbus-Boeing duopoly.[44]
On 1 September 2017, the UAC Board of Directors, and UAC's subsidiaries, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and the Irkut Corporation agreed to merge the civil industry Irkut Corporation and the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft into a Civil Aviation Division based on Irkut Corporation, with the intent being that Sukhoi would become the financial entity for all civil aircraft produced by UAC. According to UAC, the corporate restructuring was aimed at realizing UAC's strategic goal to increase the share of civil products in its portfolio to 45% by 2035 and to drive annual civil aircraft production to 100–120 aircraft per year, as well as to increase UAC's economic effectiveness and lower costs by centralizing supporting processes and decreasing levels of management. The transformation was intended to concentrate resources to develop, manufacture, and market Russian civil aircraft, while ensuring consistency in these areas and simplifying certification and licensing procedures.[45]
On 9 July 2018, UAC was targeting 4.5% of global airliner market share by value and profitability by 2025, to grow its civil aircraft business from 17% to 40% of its income and to attract private investors before 2035.[46]
On 25 October 2018, the United Aircraft Corporation was acquired from the Federal Agency for State Property Management by Russian conglomerate state corporation Rostec, with a turnover cost over one billion rubles (US$15 million). This would result in all Russian national aviation assets being put in the hands of Rostec, as Rostec also owns the helicopter monopoly Russian Helicopters and the engine monopoly United Engine Corporation. Rostec had stated it was willing to invest up to 40 billion rubles into the MC-21, taking some burden away from the federal budget.[47] The restructuring was to be completed within 18 months.[48]
