OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 July 2009 was announced, that the Russian leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co, the United Aircraft-building Corporation (UAC) and the Atlant-Soyuz air carrier have signed a memorandum of understanding on the supply and financial leasing of 45 passenger aircraft.

Under the arrangement Atlant-Soyuz will have 30 regional Antonov-148 planes and 15 medium-haul Tu-204 airliners. The leasing contract is to be concluded by September 1, 2009.

An-148 will be handed over to the client over a period of three years, starting from 2010, and Tu-204, over a period of two years, starting from 2010, the general director of the Ilyushin Finance Alexander Rubtsov told to AIN.

The cost of the supplies will total 1.2 billion dollars. The contract is to be effected over a period of five years and will be the biggest in the modern history of Russian civil aircraft and guarantee stable contracts for companies affiliated with UAC and Russian Technology corporation (Rostekhnologii).

The Atlant-Soyuz press-service has told AIN the first An-148-100 planes will enter service in 2010. A likely network of routes is being charted for them. Later, the manufacturer will provide the longer fuselage An-148-200. The company's fleet of An-148 planes is to be completed over a period of three years, from 2010 to 2012.

The Tu-204SM medium-haul airliners will be provided over two years, starting from 2011.

Atlant-Soyuz builds its aircraft fleet development strategy on the basis of mostly domestically manufactured technologies. The company is determined to take the position of the biggest operator of Russia-made planes.