Sukhoi

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company and SuperJet International have delivered a Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) to Irish regional airline CityJet.

With the delivery, CityJet has become the first European customer to operate a SSJ100 passenger jet made in Russia.

CityJet expects to lease 15 SSJ100 aircraft in a deal valued at more than $1bn, including option and after-sales services. The agreement also has an option for 16 more aircraft.

The carrier will receive three aircraft this year and the remaining aircraft will be delivered from next year onwards.

Under a SuperCare agreement for 12 years, SuperJet International will provide technical support to CityJet.

Established in 1993, CityJet operates a fleet of 18 Avro RJ85 and eight Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft.

"It has a great potential to generate new industrial partnership deals between our two countries."

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft board of directors chairman Boris Aleshin said: "Superjet 100 project scope and importance goes well beyond any major infrastructure programme.

"It is the high-tech flagship of Russia-Italy cooperation, and it has a great potential to generate new industrial partnership deals between our two countries."

A new-generation regional jet, the SSJ100 is designed, developed and produced by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, along with Finmeccanica.

Equipped with new technology, the aircraft is designed to carry passengers in short-haul and medium-haul routes.

The plane made its maiden flight in 2008 and was delivered to its first customer in 2011.

A total of 102 SSJ100 have so far been manufactured.

In 2012, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted certification to SSJ100.

Image: CityJet will receive three SSJ100aircraft this year. Photo: courtesy of SuperJet International.