Irkut Corporation has already secured orders for 140 MS-21 aircraft placed by Russian air carriers and there also commitments from foreign companies, the head of Irkut Corporation's delegation at LAAD-2015 exhibition held in Rio de Janeiro, Viktor Lichaev, told RIA Novosti.

Mass production of MS-21 airliner will be started in 2017 at Irkutsk Aviation Plant.

“Irkut has already secured orders for 140 MS-21 aircraft in Russia and has orders placed by foreign companies,” he said without specifying the exact countries.

He added that the corporation plans to launch production of the jet’s components abroad. “The larger the contract, the more components may be produced in this country,” he explained.

Three versions of MS-21 aircraft seating 150, 180 and 212 passengers will be manufactured. Lichaev said that major rivals of MS-21 are Boeing 737 and Airbus А320.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that today Irkut has «commitments for 100-120 for the aircraft, in other words, these are agreements signed before the type certificate is issued». According to Putin, he hopes that by 2017 these commitments will be turned into firm contracts after the jet’s certification is complete. He noted that both Russian and foreign companies are placing orders for MS-21 airliners.