SSBJ - Sukhoi Supersonic Business Jet. C-21. A photo. History. Characteristics.

Sukhoi Supersonic Business Jet is a business-class supersonic passenger aircraft developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. On this project, JSC Sukhoi cooperated with Dassault Aviation, Gulfstream Aerospace and many Chinese companies. Today, the further fate of the SSBJ C-21, like the Tu-444, is still unclear.

In 1981 year to start development and C-21-51 on the initiative of the designer Mikhail Petrovich Simonov. The project was headed by Mikhail Pogosyan, deputy chief designer.

SSBJ

Analysis of commercial exploitation of Concord and Tu-144 showed that with an increase in fuel prices, supersonic aircraft will not be able to compete in the mass transport segment with more economical subsonic liners. The number of passengers who are willing to overpay for the speed of traffic is insignificant and is determined, as a rule, by top officials and representatives of big business. At the same time, the priority routes are the airlines that connect the world's capitals. This, in fact, determined the concept of an airplane designed to carry eight or ten passengers for a distance of seven to ten thousand kilometers (a non-stop flight between cities that are on the same contingent and with one refuel during a flight to any capital of the world). No less important is the reduction in the mileage with the aim that the aircraft can receive the world's airports.

During operation of the aircraft were analyzed various options for layout: two, three or four engines. The collapse of the Soviet Union has led to the termination of funding for the program. Sukhoi Design Bureau was engaged in the search for independent investors. In the early 1990-s work was carried out together with the well-known company Gulfstream Aerospace. The variants Together with two English engines which were designated S-21G. But 1992, the US company refused to finance the project, suggesting that the costs in the future will be very heavy. As a result, the project had to be suspended.

However, very soon, in 1993 year, Russian investors have been found and the project resumed. 25 million dollars from investors allowed to complete the design. Experts tested the models of aircraft in wind turbines and ground testing of engines.

SSBJ photo

In 1999 the aircraft was shown at the air show in Le Bourget. There MP Simonov said that for the beginning of serial release liner (as well as completion of all work on the aircraft) will take about 1 billion. With full and timely financing of aircraft can take off in 2002 year, and the price of the same model would be about 50 million. Then consider the possibility of continuing work on the project with the company Dassault Aviation, but the deal broke.

Sukhoi in 2000 year trying to find investors for the project in China.

To date, the investment for the completion of the aircraft has not been found. Even in the state program "Development of the aviation industry on 2013-2025 years", which was adopted at the end of the year 2012, mention of the plane SSBJ completely absent.