A financial view of the Superjet programme

A Sukhoi Superjet SSJ100 of Indonesian airline Sky Aviation, on display at MAKS 2013

A few days ago we talked about how the MAKS air show had brought some oxygen, in the form of new orders for different versions of the SSJ100, to the Sukhoi Superjet programme

Over the last few weeks, there were a number of informations related to the financials of the Superjet programme and not all of them positive. For example, the Moscow Times reported that Russian bank VEB had sold its stake in European aircraft and defence manufacturer EADS in order to recapitalize the Russian regional jet project. This in turn followed news of the doubling of net loss at Sukhoi Civil Aircraft in the first half of 2013, compared to the same period the previous year, to 5,8B. Rubles (134M. Euro/US$181M).

There were some good news on the operational front, though, as Mexican carrier Interjet started commercial service with its first Superjet. Although it is not the first airline to operate the type, the Interjet news are quite a qualitative step forward for the Sukhoi Superjet, as it is the first carrier to operate it in the Americas and in the Western Hemisphere, Bombardier and Embraer's backyard and a part of the world where, Cuba aside, Russian-made civilian aircraft are pretty much absent.

But how Russian is the Superjet? 

Well, it obviously is, as it is assembled in the Far-Eastern Siberian city of Komsomol-on -Amur, near Russia's border with China.

However, the Superjet is actually quite an international project...or European to be more exact, or so they think European credit agencies, that, given that the Superjet contains up to 70% of European components and technology, have considered it qualifies for European export support schemes.

 (As we reported in a previous post, these same considerations, however, might hamper the Superjet's chances of being chosen by the Russian government as its new VIP aircraft!)

A photo gallery of the Superjet

In any case, even if technologically speaking can be considered a European as well as a Russian product, you just need to look at this great image gallery with all the Superjets delivered so far to see the SSJ100 will remain the jewel of the crown of the Russian civilian aerospace industry (at least until the MC-21 enters service towards 2016).