Russian civil aircraft production needs structural overhaul: United Aircraft chief

Russian aerospace firm United Aircraft’s new chief has underlined to the country’s prime minister the need not only to modernise equipment but overhaul the fundamental structure of civil aircraft production. Premier Mikhail Mishustin sought an update on civil aviation programme status from Vadim Badekha four months after he was put in charge of the company. Badekha told him, during the 14 March meeting, that United Aircraft aims to increase labour productivity by at least 30% by 2030. “Given the scale of the investment program being implemented, we believe it is right to set the goal of not only updating the equipment, but also moving to a new technological and production structure,” he said. This structure – achieved through automation and robotisation – will become the foundation of industrial development for the “next several decades”, he states, adding that the company considers a lean manufacturing approach to be “fundamental”. Badekha highlighted the government’s support of the domestic machine-tool industry, adding that aircraft manufacturers have been “among the first” with orders to the tooling producers owing to the impact of international sanctions on the aerospace sector. He points out that the Russian industry is developing all the materials, technologies and systems required for its civil aircraft, and has been working “shoulder to shoulder” with federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia. “Our industry has coped with the main task of import-substitution of systems and units,” he says. “All systems, all units, all necessary elements have been manufactured and are in the final stage of ground tests.”<br/>