Russia's first large airliner since the fall of the Soviet Union made its maiden flight Sunday. Irkut is an arm of the Russian state-owned aerospace conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation, which supplies the country's airborne military hardware. Related: China's 1st big passenger jet completes maiden flightLike the Chinese C919, the MC-21 has used many Western aerospace suppliers. While the Russian aerospace industry has lagged U.S. and European companies, Airbus and Boeing are closely watching the new jet's progress. The MC-21 is packed with advanced carbon fiber technology and flight controls that haven't yet made their way to Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

Source: CNN May 29, 2017 04:41 UTC