Aircraft industry in Russia has a long and glorious history. The industry was experiencing moments of triumph and deepest crises. However, at all times, despite the difficulties and economic situation, domestic aircraft manufacturers and designers were able to surprise the world by creating high-quality and advanced aircraft. Today, hundreds of thousands of people are involved in aircraft manufacturing in Russia. The cities in which the factories producing helicopters and planes are located are sometimes built around these enterprises and thrive at the expense of them.
The aircraft industry is gradually recovering from the dashing 90s and is increasing production capacity, currently occupying the third place in terms of the number of aircraft manufactured after the USA and the EU. Once again, the Russian aircraft industry is forced to catch up with competitors. This first happened more than a century ago.
Royal Russia
The history of aircraft construction in Russia began in 1910 - 1912, when the first aircraft factories appeared. The industry was booming, by 1917 there were already 15 factories in the country, employing about 10,000 people. Aircraft were built mainly under foreign licenses and with foreign engines, but there were also very successful domestic aircraft, for example, the Anade reconnaissance aircraft; flying boat M-9 designer Grigorovich; the famous Sikorsky bomber "Ilya Muromets". By the start of World War II, the Russian army had 244 aircraft — more than other war veterans.
After the revolution
The revolution broke out, followed by a civil war. A global reorganization has begun in the state. In 1918, by decree of the Soviet government, all aviation enterprises were nationalized . But the production of aircraft has already virtually ceased due to the terrible economic situation and political uncertainty. The new government had to establish aircraft manufacturing in Russia from scratch.
Moreover, they restored the industry in harsh conditions: war, devastation, lack of funds, resources and personnel, because many Russian aircraft manufacturers immigrated, many died in civilian life or were repressed. The Germans helped a lot, who after the Versailles Treaty were forbidden to have a full-fledged army and produce weapons. In cooperation with Russia, German specialists were given the opportunity to build and construct new aircraft, and Soviet engineers gained invaluable experience and knowledge.
Already in 1924, the first all-metal aircraft ANT-2, designed by the legendary Andrei Tupolev, flew into the sky. After just a year, Soviet aircraft manufacturers created the ANT-4 monoplane, advanced for its time. The bomber's engines were located along the wing, this scheme became classic for all future heavy bombers during the next world war.
In the 30s, the era of airships ended irrevocably, there was a qualitative leap in aircraft manufacturing in Russia. Factories producing aircraft and engines, metallurgical enterprises and design bureaus have appeared in dozens. In 1938, aircraft production increased 5.5 times compared with 1933. In the prewar years, the industry developed and produced such well-known aircraft as the ANT-6, ANT-40, I-15 and I-16.
WWII
Despite the impressive achievements and productive power of the Soviet aircraft industry, in the late 30s there was a technical lag behind German aircraft manufacturers. The best domestic fighters I-16 and I-15, which were actively used during the Spanish Civil War, at first proved to be excellent, but closer to the end of the conflict they began to be noticeably inferior to German aircraft.
The catastrophe of the first days of World War II, when hundreds of Soviet aircraft were destroyed on the ground, further exacerbated the advantage of German pilots. The Germans completely owned the sky, which largely explains their success in the first months of the war. Without air support, the Red Army was not able to stop the Wehrmacht tank wedges that covered entire armies.
Once again, the aviation industry was in a critical situation: everything collapsed, the state was threatened with destruction, and the leadership demanded not only to increase the production of aircraft, but also to design new, more advanced modifications. The tasks were brilliantly completed. The Soviet aircraft industry made an impressive contribution to the future victory. By straining all will and strength, Soviet aircraft manufacturers did the impossible, as was often the case in Russia.
Aircraft manufacturing centers were quickly evacuated to the east of the country, all design bureaus worked for days, women and children worked in factories. The result of these efforts was the creation of such outstanding aircraft as the simple and tenacious La-5 fighter, which made a significant contribution to the Battle of Stalingrad; universal Yak-9, which was used as a fighter of enemy aircraft, bomber, reconnaissance, escort; Pe-2 bomber; terrified the Germans attack aircraft IL-2.
Without these aircraft, a turning point in the war, and then a great Victory, would not have been possible. However, it was obtained not only by technical improvement of aircraft, but also by an amazing increase in production capacity. The Soviet aviation industry in 1941 gave the army about 7,900 aircraft, and in 1944 this figure exceeded 40,000. In total, during the war years, more than 150,000 aircraft were manufactured in the USSR, and about 120,000 in Germany, although all of European industry worked for it.
Dawn period
After the war, the aircraft building industry, which was put on a military track, did not slow down; until the collapse of the USSR, it continued to regularly produce and improve aircraft. At the peak of its development, the Soviet aviation industry produced about 400 helicopters and 600 military aircraft a year, as well as about 300 helicopters and 150 civilian aircraft. The industry included 242 enterprises, 114 factories, 72 design bureaus, 28 research institutes. Before the collapse of the Union, more than two million people worked in the aviation industry.
In the post-war period, the USSR was not going to allow technical lag behind the Western powers. The era of jet aircraft has begun. Already at the beginning of the 50s, the transonic and supersonic MiG-15 and MiG-19 took off, in 1955 the Su-7 fighter was tested, and in 1958 the serial production of the MiG-21 was launched, which for a long time turned into a symbol and the main power of the fighter USSR Aviation.
During the Soviet period, aircraft manufacturing in Russia and the Union Republics was a single mechanism that non-stop created magnificent helicopters and airplanes that were ahead of their time. Moreover, the Union produced aircraft not only for its own needs, it was its largest exporter together with the United States and provided almost 40% of the world aircraft fleets of the Union states.
The best Soviet aircraft for the army were: MiG-27, Mig-29, Mig-31, Yak-38 fighters; attack aircraft Su-25 and Su-27; Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers. For civil aviation, such high-quality aircraft were created as the Tu-104, the supersonic Tu-144, Tu-154; IL-62, IL-86; Yak-40; An-24. The domestic helicopter builders, who gave the army and civil aviation, the most massive Mi-8 helicopter on the planet, the largest Mi-26, the Mi-24 hybrid helicopter, the unique Ka-31 helicopter, and the Ka-50 all-weather attack machine were not far behind.
Protracted fall: 90s
The collapse of the USSR was naturally followed by the collapse of the Soviet aircraft industry. Established sectoral ties were broken between enterprises that suddenly found themselves in newly emerging independent states. The industry was rapidly privatized, only 3% of airlines remained under state control. Aeroflot scattered on many private airlines.
The defense department’s orders fell dramatically, while civilian aircraft manufacturing in Russia was on the verge of destruction. Air carriers preferred replacing aging Soviet aircraft with foreign used aircraft, rather than ordering them from a domestic manufacturer. The figures of 1999 are very eloquent, during which the Russian aviation industry produced 21 military and 9 civilian aircraft.
Time of Hope: 2000
At the beginning of the third millennium, Russia entered with new people in power and new hopes. The country was recovering from a ten-year redistribution of property, the troubled times of privatization and defaults. Oil prices were rising, the economy was growing stronger, funding for the most important sectors, including the aviation industry, was increasing. For its effective development, the authorities combined aviation enterprises, creating the Russian Helicopters holding, which is responsible for the production of helicopter equipment, and the United Aircraft Corporation.
The military aircraft industry in Russia was recovering faster than the civilian due to growing domestic and export orders. Foreign countries with pleasure bought MiG-29, Su-30, Su-27. In civil aviation, the situation has not changed dramatically: in the 2000s, more than 250 foreign aircraft were purchased.
On the way to former power: 2010
From 2010 to today, the course taken to restore the industry has been maintained, despite the consequences of the global economic crisis of 2008 and the sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries. Thanks to increased purchases by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the factories are operating at full capacity, bringing the production level to hundreds of military aircraft per year. Serial production of the Su-30M and Su-35 fighters, the Il-76MD military transport aircraft has been launched, the Il-78M refueling tanker and the latest Su-57 fighter are undergoing flight tests.
The civil aviation industry is also reborn. Serial production of the new Russian Superjet 100 aircraft has been launched, and its own and joint development with China of the main passengers of the aircraft is underway. The best illustration of positive trends is statistics. In 2010, more than 100 military aircraft of various types were produced; in 2011, domestic aircraft manufacturers produced more than 260 helicopters; in 2014, 37 civilian and 124 military aircraft were built.
Foundation industry
The revival of the aviation industry took place on the foundation of factories and design bureaus that were created back in the USSR The Soviet authorities were well aware that for the efficient operation and development of the industry it is necessary to take into account such important factors as the location of aircraft manufacturing in Russia and the republics, such as the availability of qualified personnel and convenient transportation links between enterprises and OKB. Therefore, design bureaus were set up in the capital or in the suburbs, and factories were built in large cities with developed transport infrastructure.
This situation is currently not changing. The renowned design bureaus of Yakovlev, Sukhoi, Mil, Tupolev, Ilyushin, Kamov continue to successfully develop new types of aircraft, and their head offices are located in Moscow or near it. The largest enterprises producing helicopters, aircraft and engines for them are located in Moscow, Smolensk, Kazan, Ulan-Ude, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov and other cities.
Prospects for aircraft manufacturing in Russia
If the authorities continue the adopted program for the development of the aviation industry and leave financing at the same level, then the prospects for the domestic aircraft industry are rather optimistic. In 2017, 33 SSJ100 airliners, 214 military helicopters and 139 military aircraft were produced in the Russian Federation. In 2018, the serial production of the Mi-38 helicopter and the MS-21 passenger airliner should begin. It is planned to resume production of the long-range passenger airliner Il-96 - 400M, to begin production of the Ka-62 helicopter, and to modernize the Tu-160M aircraft.