Russia and Belarus sign agreement to develop new light aircraft

Russia and Belarus will sign an agreement on the joint production of a new light multi-purpose Osvey aircraft, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said during a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Roman Golovchenko, RIA Novosti reports.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Adrian Pingstone Arpingstone is licensed under Creative Commons Public Domain Mark

The Union State of Russia and Belarus has a large territory, Mishustin noted in his speech.

"We, of course, need most modern aircraft of different classes and different types for transporting both passengers and cargo,” Mishustin said.

According to Mishustin, the level of cooperation between Moscow and Minsk in the field of high technology, science and space is unprecedented.

The Russian-Belarusian Osvey aircraft will be able to carry up to 19 passengers, the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation told TASS.

"The parties will develop a multi-purpose twin-engine turboprop aircraft capable of carrying up to 19 passengers and performing a wide range of activities, including in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The new aircraft will be certified <…> according to civil airworthiness standards and will be able to operate in simple and difficult meteorological conditions,” the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko noted that the agreement was concluded, among other things, in the interests of national security and ensuring the technological sovereignty of Belarus and Russia.

The Prime Minister clarified that the agreement was part of the recently signed comprehensive cooperation program in the field of aircraft manufacturing between Belarus and Russia.