Russia wants to revive old crop-dusting planes due to the collapse of its aircraft manufacturing industry

The aircraft manufacturer "Chapligin SibNIA" has proposed restoring the airworthiness of approximately 700 Soviet An-2 aircraft currently in storage, rather than developing a new model. 

This was reported by Kommersant, citing proposals from the aviation center, which estimates the remaining service life of these aircraft at 70–75%. The modernization of the “Corncob” aircraft is intended to address the shortage of air transport on local routes over the next 5–7 years, until modern equivalents become available. 

Experts propose replacing the engines with foreign Pratt & Whitney or Honeywell engines, or Russian TVD-10B engines, as well as upgrading the cockpits. As of the end of 2025, only 249 An-2 aircraft remained in service in Russia and another 276 in the DTSAAF fleet, while most of the aircraft produced have already been decommissioned. The restoration program began in 2024, when 16 aircraft previously slated for scrapping were returned to airworthiness. According to the developer’s estimates, the service life of the modernized An-2s, provided they receive proper maintenance, could last nearly until the end of the century. The push to restore old aircraft arose after attempts to develop a new regional jet at the request of the Russian leadership failed to yield results. Relying on the Soviet aviation legacy remains the only quick way to maintain domestic air service amid sanctions.

After three years of unexpected economic growth, Russia is facing a sudden slowdown—war costs, inflation, and falling oil prices have begun to weigh on an economy that until recently seemed resilient to sanctions.

Consumer lending in Russia has fallen to a six-year low.