The United Engine Corporation (UEC) will showcase the full-size PD-8 turbofan engine at INNOPROM. India’s industrial exhibition in New Delhi from 9–11 September 2026.
The PD-8 is being presented as the propulsion system for the import-substituting Superjet regional aircraft and the Be-200 amphibious aircraft. Developed by UEC, the engine measures 3.6 metres in length and delivers 8 tonnes of take-off thrust.
The programme highlights the development of a domestic engine production and support ecosystem, with the PD-8 having progressed through prototype testing, certification and serial production.
The engine incorporates an electronic control system and uses domestically produced materials and technologies. According to Rostec, 25 critical technologies were used during its development, including 17 introduced.
Prototype PD-8 engines underwent testing on Superjet aircraft, a flying laboratory and ground test rigs. The programme included long-duration flights, low-temperature operations, runway water testing, critical-condition testing, 150-hour tests, crosswind testing and thrust-reverser testing.
The engines have accumulated more than 6,500 hours of flight and rig testing. The PD-8 received type certification in June 2026 and has subsequently entered serial production.
These testing activities are relevant to the engine’s future maintenance and operational support requirements, as the transition from development to serial production establishes the foundation for an in-service propulsion fleet.
UEC said it delivered the first domestically produced PD-8 engines for serial-production Superjet aircraft in August 2026. The corporation is continuing to expand production capacity for the engine.
“The first deliveries of the domestically produced PD-8 power plant for serially produced Superjet regional airliners took place in August of this year. Today, the United Engine Corporation (UEC) of the Rostec State Corporation continues to expand its capacity for serial production of the latest engines,” UEC highlighted.
The PD-8 uses an electronic control system and has been developed to meet modern environmental and flight-safety requirements.
For operators and maintenance organisations, the introduction of a new engine type brings requirements for technical support, inspection procedures, component supply and maintenance capability throughout the engine’s operating lifecycle.
The move into serial production therefore represents an important transition for the PD-8 programme. As more engines enter service, the supporting infrastructure will need to develop alongside the fleet, covering operational monitoring, maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements.
The PD-8 is part of a wider effort by Russia’s aviation industry to develop domestically produced aircraft and propulsion systems.
At INNOPROM. Rostec will also display the Superjet, MS-21 and Il-114-300 aircraft, together with Mi-171A3 and Ka-226T helicopters. The exhibition provides an opportunity to present these platforms and their associated technologies to Indian industry.
The availability of domestically developed propulsion and aircraft systems can affect future component supply, technical support, and maintenance infrastructure. However, the PD-8 exhibition itself does not represent a new MRO agreement or maintenance facility; its immediate focus is the engine’s production and technology.
Rostec said India is an important technology partner and identified further industrial cooperation, including civil aviation, as an area of potential development.
“India is one of our key technology partners. Over decades of cooperation, we have gone from supplying finished products to establishing joint ventures. Today, we see great potential for further industrial cooperation, including in civil aviation. In New Delhi, we will unveil for the first time our new PD-8 engine—the heart of the Superjet. It has completed a comprehensive testing program, confirmed its stated performance, received type certification, and is already in serial production. Only five countries worldwide produce power plants of this level, Russia being one of them,” stated Dmitry Lelikov, Deputy Director General of Rostec State Corporation.
The PD-8 programme is moving from development and certification into the operational phase, with serial-production engines now being delivered for Superjet aircraft.
This transition will gradually shift the focus from development testing towards the requirements of an in-service fleet. Engine maintenance will become an increasingly important part of the programme as aircraft accumulate operating hours, creating requirements for inspections, component support, troubleshooting and eventual overhaul.
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The extensive test programme conducted before certification provides the basis for the engine’s entry into service, while expanding serial production establishes the manufacturing capacity needed to support future fleet growth.
The PD-8 programme is therefore significant as an example of engine development progressing into serial production and eventual lifecycle support, with the first operational deliveries marking the beginning of that next phase.
