OREANDA-NEWS. Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, and Sukhoi Company announced in Venice, Italy the setting up of Superjet International, the new joint-venture focused on worldwide after sales support and marketing and sales on western markets of the Superjet 100 regional aircraft family – the most advanced and environmental friendly regional jet aircraft available on the market. The new company is owned for 51% by Alenia Aeronautica and for 49% by Sukhoi Company.

Amedeo Caporaletti has been appointed chairman of Superjet International by the first Superjet International Board of Director’s meeting, while Alessandro Franzoni takes on the role of chief executive.

"Headquartered in Venice, Superjet International will capitalise on Alenia Aeronautica’s full-fledged infrastructure already available at its owned company Alenia Aeronavali’s site in Venice", say Sukhoi and Alenia Aeronautica in a joint statement. Moscow will be a home for the new joint venture’s first branch and, later on, additional branches will appear in the most relevant markets.

The new joint venture will capitalise on Alenia Aeronautica’s outstanding experience in regional aircraft marketing and after sales achieved thanks to the long-running ATR regional turboprop manufacturing programme. ATR is the best selling aircraft in the 50 to 75-seat turboprop market with more than 900 aircraft sold since the beginning of the programme.

In a joint statement, Alenia and Sukhoi said that Superjet International’s mission is to promote and sell the Superjet 100 in Europe, Mediterranean area, North and South America, Africa, Oceania and Japan, as well as to customise the aircraft for the western customers and provide worldwide after sales. The company is also responsible for the design and development of VIP and cargo versions, based upon Superjet 100 family platform.

The prototype Superjet 100 is in final assembly at Komsomolsk; the first flight is planned for the end of the year; and the first delivery to Aeroflot Russian Airlines is expected in November 2008.

SCAC, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company being in charge of design, production, marketing and certification of the aircraft, is responsible for promotion and sales in the Russian, CIS countries’, Chinese, Indian, Middle East and South-East Asian markets.

Speaking at a news conference in Venice on the launch of Superjet International SCAC president Viktor Subbotin said that the joint venture has attracted two new orders for its Superjet 100 regional jet plane, bringing total orders to 73.