Soviet era (1932–1993)
On 28 March 1932, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAP) was established under order No. 181 by the Main Directorate of the USSR People's Commissariat for Heavy Industry. On 18 August 1934, the form marking the completion of construction manufacturing plant for the new bureau was signed. The first aircraft manufactured by the IAP was the Tupolev I-14, which had its flight on 16 February 1935. The IAP later started mass production of the Tupolev SB Bomber in the spring of 1936. In July 1941, the IAP started delivery of Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bombers. From 1942, the IAP started mass production of two long-range bomber aircraft: Ilyushin Il-4 and Yermolayev Yer-2 until 1945, probably for the Soviet Air Forces for World War II. From 1946, the IAP started production of the Tupolev Tu-2 tactical bomber until 1949. From 1950, the IAP started mass production of two bomber aircraft, the Tupolev Tu-14 and the Ilyushin Il-28 until 1956. In 1957, the IAP renovated itself and started production of the Antonov An-12 military transport aircraft. From 1960, the IAP started mass production of the supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-28 until 1972. From 1967, the IAP started mass production of the Antonov An-24 military transport aircraft until 1971. From 1970, the IAP started mass production of the fighter-bombers, the Mikoyan MiG-23UB and the Mikoyan MiG-27 until 1986. In 1982, IAP specialists started organization of Mikoyan MiG-27 licensed production in India. The Sukhoi Su-27UB, produced by the IAP as a two-seat operational conversion trainer, had its maiden flight on 10 September 1986. The first Sukhoi Su-30 developed by the aviation plant had its first flight on 14 April 1992.[4]
Russian Federation era (1993–present)
On 30 December 1996, a contract was signed between the IAP and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the delivery of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI to the IAF. The first Beriev Be-200, an amphibious aircraft, developed by the IAP, had its first flight on 24 September 1998. On 27 December 2002, the Irkutsk Aviation Production Association renamed themselves as the Irkut Corporation. The Irkut Corporation became the first Russian defence firm to carry out an initial public offering in March 2004. It traded 23.3% of the corporation's shares in the stock market. In the same year, the Irkut Corporation had integrated the Yakovlev Design Bureau into its corporate structure, making it a subsidiary.
On 20 December 2004 the company signed a contract with Airbus to produce components for the Airbus A320 family aircraft (the nose landing gear bay, keel beam, flap track and a floor grid section).[5] As a result EADS owned a 10% stake in Irkut which it planned as of 2007 to convert into United Aircraft Corporation shares.[6]
In 2006, the Russian government merged Irkut with
2018 integration of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft into the Irkut Corporation
At the end of November 2018, United Aircraft Corporation transferred SCAC from Sukhoi to the Irkut Corporation, to become UAC's airliner division, as Leonardo S.p.A. pulled out in early 2017 because of Superjet's poor financial performance.
The company manages the Superjet 100, the MC-21 and the Russo-Chinese CR929 widebody, but the Il-114 passenger turboprop and modernized Ilyushin Il-96-400 widebody stay with Ilyushin.
The new commercial division will also include the Yakovlev Design Bureau, avionics specialist UAC—Integration Center and composite manufacturer AeroComposit.[10]
2023 rebranding as Yakovlev
In August 2023, Irkut rebranded itself as Yakovlev. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 was redesignated as the SJ-100, and the Irkut MC-21 also adopted the Yakovlev name.[11]
Sanctions
In June 2022, the company was designated by the United States pursuant to Executive Order 14024 for operating or having operated in the defence and related materiel sector and the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy. Irkut has also been sanctioned by Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.[12]
In January 2023, Japan imposed sanctions on the company.[13]
In January 2024 was published a report on how Yakovlev evaded sanctions to continue to procure components from US firms like Honeywell, through a European intermediary.[14]
