The first flight for Russia’s MS-21-300, which was rolled out June 8, is planned for December 2016-February 2017, it was announced at the roll-out ceremony, ATWonline reported.

The aircraft is manufactured by Russia’s Irkut Corp., which is part of the United Aircraft Corp. (UAC). Delivery to a first customer is expected before the end of 2018.

Azerbaijan Baku-based AZAL Airlines has signed a letter of intent with Russia’s Ilyushin Finance Co. to lease MS-21 aircraft—the exact number will be disclosed after the MS-21’s first flight, as well as other details of the deal.

Through 2018, Irkut plans to assemble four MS-21s, while in 2023 it intends to assemble up to 70 aircraft per year, the Kommersant newspaper reported.

Russia’s UAC president Yury Slusar was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying RUB100 billion ($1.5 billion) has been invested in the project to date. Out of this sum, 80% is state money and 20% comes from manufacturer investments.

Russian Rostec’s Technodinamika Holding, which provides MS-21 landing gear actuating cylinders, said after the roll-out ceremony it could replace some Western-built systems on the aircraft.

“In 2005, when the MS-21 program was shaping, disjoint manufacturers that are now members of our holding could not offer the turnkey systems,” Technodinamika CEO Maxim Kuzyuk said, “but [over] the last years we have done a lot so now we can offer new systems for the MS-21.”