For the first time since its maiden flight in 1998, Beriev is on the cusp of gaining the first export sales for its Be-200 twin-turbofan amphibious aircraft.
The first production aircraft were built at the Irkutsk aviation plant in Siberia. Production of the latest variant, the Be-200ES, was transferred to Beriev in Taganrog, southwest Russia, in 2015 according to the company: “The plane has undergone a major upgrade, with more than 60 percent of design changes,” Yuri Slyusar, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) president, told asianmilitaryreview.com.
The aircraft is being supplied to the domestic market under Russian Ministry of Defence contracts for six to perform search and rescue for the Russian Navy, and the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) which has ordered the same number of Be-200ESs in the fire-fighting role, reports note.
Russian’s UAC (United Aircraft Corporation), which consolidates Russia’s state-owned and private aircraft manufacturers, has announced that memoranda have been signed for deliveries of Be-200ES aircraft to the People’s Republic of China and Thailand. It added that sales are being negotiated for Indonesia and Vietnam.
Russia’s industry minister Denis Manturov has stated in open media reports that Beriev will be given a subsidy budget of $3.5 billion to reduce debt; ensure financial stability and further development; and to increase production from four to six aircraft per year from 2018 to 2021.
