Russian flag carrier Aeroflot has received two Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) jets, which are expected to begin their domestic short-haul passenger service over the next few weeks.

Each of the new aircraft, with registration numbers RA-89114 and RA-89109 respectively, are equipped with 12 business class seats and 75 economy seats. This has increased Aeroflot’s current fleet of SSJ100 aircraft to 47.

The RA-89114 aircraft is named after Soviet test pilot Valery Pavlovich Chkalov, who completed a direct flight across the North Pole from Moscow to Vancouver in Washington, US in 1937.

“Aeroflot understands the importance of supporting Russian manufacturing and is currently the largest operator of Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft.”

Chkalov also had the technical knowledge to fly 30 types of aircraft.

Aeroflot has named the RA-89109 aircraft after the Russian painter Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin.

In a statement, Aeroflot said: “As the Russian flag carrier, Aeroflot understands the importance of supporting Russian manufacturing and is currently the largest operator of Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft.

“The airline will expand its fleet of SSJ 100 aircraft, with a further three new SSJ100 planes, thus bringing the total number to 50.”

Aeroflot has been operating the SSJ100 aircraft since 2011 and completed an agreement for 30 aircraft of the same type last year.

With a total fleet of 243 aircraft, Aeroflot currently serves 146 destinations in 52 countries.