Ruselectronics holding, owned by the state corporation Rostec, has developed a line of electronic components for communications gear intended to replace American-made electronics in Russia’s civil aviation fleet, including the Sukhoi Superjet and the Irkut MS-21. The announcement comes as part of a broader push to bolster domestic avionics production and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers for critical flight systems.
According to Ruselectronics, the devices are engineered to switch high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency electrical circuits that power onboard radar and communications subsystems. These switches play a central role in the reliability and performance of airborne communication networks, enabling faster data links and clearer, more dependable channels for flight operations and passenger connectivity.
The press service stressed that the components have undergone rigorous testing within onboard communications equipment and are ready for civil aviation deployment. The development was carried out by Penza NIIEMP under contract with the Nizhny Novgorod-based Polet Research and Production Enterprise, illustrating a coordinated, multi-regional collaboration in Russia’s high-tech defense and industrial sectors.
NIIEMP announced that the use of vacuum high-frequency switches as part of on-board radio communications equipment would allow Russia to phase out similar products from U.S. manufacturers such as Jennings Technology and Kilovac. The move is also aimed at extending service life and boosting the reliability of communications hardware across aircraft systems. CEO Vyacheslav Zuev highlighted these improvements and the strategic value of domestically produced switches for long-term fleet reliability.
In addition, the company signaled ambitious production plans, aiming to manufacture 1,500 distinct device types annually, a scale intended to meet the growing domestic demand for aviation-grade components and to support broader import-substitution objectives within the national industrial complex.
Earlier reports indicated that Roskosmos and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation were coordinating a plan under which state agencies would direct enterprises to produce components for the domestic market as part of an import-substitution program, reinforcing Russia’s commitment to self-reliance in critical aerospace technologies.