Russia to design fundamentally new supersonic passenger aircraft

Russia may create a fundamentally new supersonic passenger aircraft, designed for about 20 passengers.

Photo: Source: mil.ru. Tu-160 bomber

According to Denis Manturov, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Russian experts rejected the previously proposed idea to create a supersonic passenger aircraft on the basis of the Tu-160 strategic bomber.

Instead, they may develop a fundamentally new aircraft on a new basis. According to Manturov, in the future, Russian engineers intend to develop a compact supersonic jet, designed for 16-19 seats. The speed of such aircraft will reach 2,000-3000 km/h.

A source close to the aviation industry noted that the Tu-160 is not suitable as a basis for a new aircraft in principle. The Tupolev Tu-160 is incapable of performing long supersonic flights.

The USSR became the first country in the world that built and tested a supersonic airliner: the Tu-144 went on its maiden flight in 1968.