Russia plans to start production of the “Baikal” aircraft: what’s wrong with it.

Russia plans to launch mass production of an aircraft called "Baikal", which will serve as a replacement for the An-2 aircraft. This new aircraft will cost $5 million. This was reported by Defense Express.

The article notes that Russians complain about the high cost of this aircraft. They claim that no one will buy the "Baikal" as its price has almost quadrupled.

In addition, Russia announced that they have insufficient runways in the region to accommodate the new LMS-901 "Baikal" aircraft. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the mass production of this aircraft in the near future.

Another problem mentioned in the publication is that the aircraft will be produced only with the VK-800SM engine. The first flight with this engine is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

However, according to new information, certification of this engine will take place only in 2025, and deliveries will begin only two years later, in 2026. Therefore, all further plans regarding the "Baikal" remain in question, the article says.

It should be noted that Russia has started production of a new long-range combat drone called "Harpy-A1". Chinese engine and parts are used for its manufacture.