Belarus-Russia Osvey aircraft project described as cost-effective

Mass production of the Osvey aircraft is an efficient and cost-effective project, Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus said, BelTA has learned.

At the second session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the eighth convocation, deputies passed the bill “On ratification of the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Russian Federation on the development and mass production of the twin-engine light multipurpose aircraft Osvey”.

“The State Authority for Military Industry has begun implementing another promising and fairly large project, and today we can already say that Belarus is one step away from joining the ranks of countries that make aircraft,” said Dmitry Pantus.

According to him, the Osvey project will be implemented in two stages. “The first one is the design and development of a light multipurpose aircraft, the second one is the implementation of an innovative project at 558 Aircraft Repair Plant in Baranovichi to launch the production of aircraft, parts and assemblies for various types of aircraft in the Republic of Belarus,” the chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry noted.

The aircraft is designed to carry 19 passengers and is intended for local and regional air transportation. “The aircraft can be used as a passenger, cargo, or cargo-passenger transportation,” Dmitry Pantus said. “The Belarus-Russia aircraft will have improved characteristics. The aircraft will be able to operate on artificial and unpaved runways. It will be multipurpose and will be able to be used by medical services, emergency services, patrols, airdrops, and paratrooper drops. Thus, it will be a multipurpose aircraft with a quickly transformable cabin.”

The authorized bodies (state customers) responsible for the implementation of the experimental design of the Osvey aircraft are the State Authority for Military Industry of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the prime contractor from the Russian side is Ural Civil Aviation Plant, and the co-contractor from the Belarusian side is 558 Aircraft Repair Plant.

“A general review of the project's performance indicators suggests that the project will be efficient and cost-effective,” added Dmitry Pantus.

Writer by:belta