Who we are

Experts Analyzed Use of PD-14 Engines on Warplanes

Rubric: Russia, Industry, Future

ODK-Aviadvigatel jointly with the Gromov Flight Research Institute have completed the second phase of flight trials of the prototype engine PD-14 on the Il-76LL test-bed aircraft. Designers say the engine can be used on military planes as well. Mil.Today interviewed largest aircraft builders to learn whether it is possible to use PD-14 engines in the military.

"As long as the PD-14 engine is more than 95% made of Russian components, aggregates and materials, it can be easily converted for military use", Alexander Inozemtsev, head designer of ODK-Aviadvigatel replied on the formal request of Mil.Today.

Turbofan engine PD-14 for MS-21-200/300/400 family aircraft

However, officials of Ilyushin and Tupolev design bureaus said retrofitting of warplanes with the new engines was premature.

Today, the Ilyushin airplanes operate engines PS-90 produced by OJSC Perm Motor Plant. "These engines have proved themselves perfectly, we’re not about to change them", explained the Ilyushin’s expert.
According to the Tupolev's spokesman, the changeover from PS-90A to PD-14 engines is unfeasible due to immense financial expenses of the aircraft refitting, certification and replacement of production facilities.
Nonetheless, he added that if the ‘perfected’ PD-14 engine enters international market, the leading American and European engine manufacturers would bend every effort to hinder its certification.

PD-14 is the basic model in the family of new-generation turbofan bypass aircraft engines with unified gas generator. It is designed for MS-21-type civil short-haul airplanes.

According to ODK-Aviadvigatel, the PD-family engines can be used on other types of aircraft for further improvement of their cargo-carrying and economic characteristics: extension of flight range, decrease of fuel consumption and carriage cost. It is the first new domestic aircraft engine over the last two decades, emphasized the manufacturer’s spokesman.