Aeroflot chief Sergei Alexandrovsky warned at the Eastern Economic Forum that Russian airlines may gradually withdraw the Sukhoi Superjet 100 fleet unless the government helps fund re-engining with domestic PD-8 engines. The conversion programme would replace foreign SaM146 engines on the regional jet, but the high cost of retrofitting aircraft has become the main obstacle for operators in Russia.
Industry estimates put the modification cost at about 2.1 billion to 2.3 billion rubles per aircraft, making state support central to any wider rollout. Without subsidy, airlines would face a gradual erosion of SSJ-100 capacity rather than a full fleet renewal. UAC chief Vadim Badekha had previously argued that carriers should pay for the work themselves and that no federal money was planned.
Around 160 SSJ-100s are currently in service in Russia, with Rossiya operating the largest fleet at 78 aircraft. UAC has discussed a conversion pool of roughly 50 aircraft as economically viable, while broader industry assessments have put the number of jets needing engine replacement at 50 to 100.