A consortium consisting primarily of Sukhoi and Boeing have been awarded a $120 million grant by the Russian space and aviation agency Rosaviakosmos to build a next-generation Russian regional jet (C/R News, April 29, 2002). The consortium also includes domestic design bureaus Ilyushin and Yakovlev. A report in the Russian newspaper Kommersant said the consortium will design and build a family of regional jets consisting of 60-, 75- and 90-seat aircraft, aimed at replacing the aging fleet of Tu-134, Yak-40s and An-24s that have long dominated the Russian regional airline market. There are now 214 Tu-134s, 264 An-24s and 324 Yak-40s operating in Russia, according to civil aviation authorities. The award is a major breakthrough for Sukhoi, which has been trying to establish itself as a civil aviation company as well as manufacturer of military aircraft. The first Russian regional jet is expected to fly in 2007.