Italy Sees Promise in Sukhoi Regional Jet
By Lyuba Pronina Staff Writer Italian aerospace and defense giant Finmeccanica is in talks with Sukhoi Aviation Holding in a move to buy into Sukhoi's Russian Regional Jet project, a Finmeccanica official has said.
The Russian Regional Jet, or RRJ, spearheaded by Sukhoi's Civil Aircraft division, is the most high-profile project in Russian aviation.
Finmeccanica's Alenia Aeronautica division is negotiating over a stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, Finmeccanica spokesman Roberto Alatri said by telephone from Rome late Wednesday.
Alatri refused to elaborate but said the company would make an official statement at the Moscow Aviation and Space Show, which starts Aug. 14.
Under the RRJ program, Sukhoi is developing a family of jets seating 60, 75 or 95 passengers. The jets will sell for $26 million apiece.
Co-designed by Boeing, the jet is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of 2007, with deliveries set to begin in early 2008.
Sukhoi plans to sell 800 regional jets by 2020, most of them abroad, but has yet to land a single firm order.
"If Alenia enters the Sukhoi RRJ program on a risk-sharing basis, it will dramatically increase its potential [to sell] internationally," said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, a defense industry think tank.
"Alenia will bring it its experience in marketing and post-sales support, where Russia is weak," Makiyenko said.
"We are interested in Sukhoi's RRJ program and began talks a few months ago," said an official at Alenia on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing negotiations.
"We are in talks, but this is a lengthy process that requires working out all possible ways of cooperation," said Olga Kayukova, spokeswoman for Sukhoi Civil Aircraft.
This is not the first time that the RRJ program has attracted the attention of international investors. Late last year, India's state-owned aerospace champion, Hindustan Aeronautics, or HAL, said it would be willing to pay $100 million for a 10 percent stake in the RRJ project.
Negotiations with HAL are still ongoing, Sukhoi's Kayukova said on Thursday.
Should either Alenia or HAL be successful in negotiations, neither one would be able to buy more than 25 percent in Sukhoi, as current legislation puts a limit on foreign ownership of Russian aviation firms.
France's engine maker Snecma is co-developing an engine for the RRJ with Russian engine maker Saturn.
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2005/08/05/041.html
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