Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) is negotiating deliveries of Sukhoi Business Jet (SBJ, business version of Sukhoi SuperJet 100 aircraft) to customers from Southeast Asia, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the Senior Vice-President of SCAC, Evgeny Andrachnikov.

"Foreign customers are showing interest in the aircraft, including companies from Southeast Asia. Following the results of JetExpo-2014 we found new potential customers and we are in talks with them", — Andrachnikov said.

He did not specify the number of orders for SBJ; however, he noted that the contract for delivery of two jets of the type to EMERCOM has been signed. SBJ will also be delivered to Rosoboronexport. President of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, parent company of SCAC) Mikhail Pogosyan said at JetExpo-2014, that Rosoboronexport would put the jet into operation in 2014. Initially three or four aircraft of the type will be assembled annually.

"SBJ is in the price segment, which is in demand. It will be 10% cheaper than its closest rival —Lineage1000 (its list price is around $52 million)", — Andrachnikov said.

Minister of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, believes that SBJ will be popular among customers. Manturov said that the existing version would be upgraded in 2015. He expressed confidence that it will be the real evolution for SSJ 100, and more customers will be interested in the aircraft.

According to UAC, the global market will need about 570 aircraft like SBJ in the next 20 years, 65 of them are accounted for the market of Russia and CIS Region. The highest market capacity for jets of this class is accounted for Middle East, USA and Europe; about 100 jets are accounted for Asia (including China). "The most important regions in terms of promotion of Sukhoi Business Jet are Russia, CIS Region, Asia and Middle East", — Andrachnikov added.