Actuality January 14, 2008

   By the decision of Russian authorities Italian company Alenia Aeronautica is allowed to buy blocking stockholding of the strategic aircraft construction company. This transaction is the necessary condition of successful project ending of supermodern middle-range Russian plane Sukhoi Superjet 100 creation.

   The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has signed the order, in which Italian company Alenia Aeronautica is allowed to buy blocking stockholding (25% of stocks plus one stock) of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC). By the same decision the number of foreign citizens entering the SCAC board is limited by a quarter of its stuff. SCAC is the founder and the main integrator of aircraft construction of Sukhoi Superjet 100 family. Now there are more than 1500 employees. Before the present transaction the stockholders of the company were "Sukhoi" corporation (engaged in planes production) and design-engineering department named after Sukhoi (engaged in planes designing). Now an Italian stockholder appeared in SCAC.

   Since June, 2006 the Italian company is a strategic partner of the Russian part in the creation project of the supermodern civil plane. According to the president of SCAC Victor Subbotin, the choice of this very partner among other interested parties was caused by the fact that the Italian company not only finances the project, but also "brings its competences in the field of sales on the developed markets, post-sale support and in the future, probably, production of composite components".

   Thus, the joint enterprise is already registered. It will be engaged in sales of liners on the West European and North American markets, and also in post-sale service and technical support all over the world. And it means essential decrease in risks of the airlines connected with service. The joint enterprise belongs to Alenia for 51 %, to Sukhoi Company – for 49 %. The joint enterprise headquarters will be situated in Venice. Besides, Alenia delegated a team of its experts to SCAC, who together with Russian colleagues prepare the new liner for certification under the European and American standards.

   In total till 2009 Alenia Aeronautica plans to invest about $200 mln in Superjet 100 project, having bought additional issue of SCAC. According to Subbotin, the share of Italians in total amount of financing on the terms of risks’ division will exceed $400 mln. Besides, Italian company actively participated in the transaction on acquisition of Superjet 100 ten liners by Italian airline ItAli, which took place in last June at space salon in Le Bourges, with the result that Italians became the first foreign customer for the new Russian plane. And though the liner still has never flied up (the first rolling out took place in September, 2007), the portfolio of fixed orders already makes 73 planes. According to the Chief Executive of Sukhoi Company, Michael Pogosjan, "fixed orders received from the Russian airlines have completely covered the production of planes in 2008-2009, approximately for 50 % in 2010 and even partially in 2011". Liner deliveries to the first Russian customer Aeroflot are planned for November, 2008. In total, as predicted by Boeing corporation, which acts as a consultant of the project, SCAC can produce and sell not less than 800 liners on the world market, having earned more than $12 bln.