GOSUDARSTVENNYI KOSMICHESKII NAUCHNO-PROIZVODSTVENNYI TSENTR IMENI M.V. KHRUNICHEVA (State Research and Production Space Centre named for M.V. Khrunichev)

The Aviation Department of this prominent rocket and space vehicle design and manufacturing centre was formed in August 1994 to develop and manufacture general purpose aircraft. It comprises a design bureau, experimental facilities and operational and maintenance services. The main task of the Aviation Department is to develop to the series production stage aircraft designed on the basis of foreign and domestic components, and then to market them worldwide. Production is being launched of the T-411 Aist, while development efforts are concentrated on the T-440 Mercury turboprop-twin and newly revealed T-419/T-517 agricultural aircraft. During 2001, the company launched a joint venture with Sherpa Aircraft of the USA to market the T-411 in North America. It also builds Sherpa 200 and 300 airframes for distribution in the US, manufacture of the first '200 having begun in June 2003.