Russia Plans First Serial Business Jet Factory in Ulyanovsk

Russia has never series-produced a business jet, but a new attempt is now underway. A factory for Aurus-brand jets is planned in the Ulyanovsk special economic zone. The site is expected to handle final assembly, testing, and maintenance. According to Bizavnews, the facility will cost 15.4 billion rubles, approximately 180 million euros. About 13.2 billion rubles will be financed through loans, and the investment is expected to pay off after roughly 5.5 years.

Aurus is primarily known as a Russian luxury car brand, not a dedicated aircraft manufacturer. The company relies on badge engineering: design and final assembly are Russian, while the technical basis comes from a foreign partner. The jet is technically based on the Tu-324, a 30-year-old Tupolev design. The Russian state has positioned Aurus as an umbrella brand for high-quality products.

Russia has an estimated 300 to 400 business aircraft. Around 160 jets are registered in the country, while up to 240 are owned by Russian entities but registered abroad. All are Western production, from Bombardier to Gulfstream. A pure Russian business jet, like a Cessna Citation or Bombardier Learjet, has not existed to date.