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At the start of 2026, Russia's aviation
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sector experienced a significant
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leadership transition.
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Alexander Bobev resigned from his
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position as managing director of JSC
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Tupalev and 37year-old Yuria Broimov was
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appointed as the interim head of the
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company. The transition took place in
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mid January and quickly became a subject
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of active discussion in industry and
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The official statement on Bob Rashev's
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departure referred to his age and the
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successful completion of the tasks
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assigned to him. He marked his 77th
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birthday in January and according to the
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state corporation Rosstec, he had
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fulfilled all objectives placed before
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Aviation analysts argue that his
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resignation should neither significantly
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delay nor accelerate the 2214 program,
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which remains one of the most
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anticipated civilian aircraft projects
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in modern Russian aviation.
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At the same time, beyond the official
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explanation, industry observers have
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raised a reasonable question.
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Was age truly the only factor behind the
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decision? In 2025, Tupalev was expected
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to deliver three new 2214 aircraft, a
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target that was not met. In parallel,
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the number of lawsuits filed against the
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company reportedly reached a historic
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maximum, adding to doubts surrounding
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the narrative of a purely honorable
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The situation is further complicated by
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the fact that Tupalev has had seven
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different directors over a period of
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only 11 years. Within aviation circles,
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such frequent leadership changes are
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rarely seen as accidental.
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They are more often interpreted as signs
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of deeper organizational and structural
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problems. Critics argue that constant
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executive rotation can serve to obscure
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systemic weaknesses rather than resolve
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them. The new head of Tupalev, Yuri
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Abrazimov, previously served as the
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company's financial delegate under
2:15
If confirmed as permanent chief
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executive, he would become the youngest
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leader in Tupalev's history since its
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founder, Andre Tupalev, who established
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the design bureau at the age of 34.
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Abrosov holds a degree in economics
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rather than in aircraft engineering or
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design. He began his career at Tupalev's
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Kazan branch immediately after
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graduation and advanced rapidly into
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senior management roles.
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Throughout his professional life, he has
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worked exclusively within the Tupolev
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system, gaining experience mainly in
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financial and administrative management.
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Industry sources generally describe
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Abrosimoff in positive terms. He is
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often characterized as sociable,
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intelligent, and capable of building
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rapport with a wide range of teams. He
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is also reported to be the grandson of
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Yuri Litvanov who headed the Kazan
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aviation plant in the mid 1990s a time
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marked by severe postsviet industrial
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As interim director, Abraimoff is
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responsible for overseeing both military
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aviation programs and the troubled 2214
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civilian aircraft project. Balancing
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defense contracts with civilian
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production remains a strategic
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difficulty for Russia's aviation
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Historically, factories and design
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bureaus have been oriented primarily
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toward military output.
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To understand why this leadership change
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has attracted so much attention, it is
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necessary to examine the 2214 program
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The aircraft is a medium-range passenger
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jet developed as a derivative of the
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It is intended for both commercial
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airline service and government transport
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Although the 2214 was designed in the
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1990s and once held strategic
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importance, its production remained
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Economic constraints, shifting
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priorities, and technological stagnation
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prevented it from achieving true serial
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production for civilian airlines.
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Plans announced for the period from 2022
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to 2025 envisioned a major increase in
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Dozens of aircraft were expected for
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Russian airlines and state operators.
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In reality, only a small number were
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built far below official targets.
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The reasons for these delays are
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Analysts point to difficulties at the
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Kazan aviation plant, including outdated
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production facilities, heavy reliance on
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manual labor, and limited automation.
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A shortage of skilled personnel further
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constrained the plant's ability to scale
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After 2022, the 2214 program underwent a
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major transformation aimed at replacing
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foreign components with domestically
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While strategically necessary, this
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process required extensive retesting and
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These procedures inevitably delayed the
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start of full serial production.
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In December 2025, certification tests of
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the fully import substituted TU214 were
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completed. Russia's aviation authorities
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approved major amendments to the
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aircraft's type design. This cleared the
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formal path for serial production to
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Officials have reiterated a long-term
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objective of reaching up to 20 aircraft
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although a precise production schedule
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has not yet been disclosed.
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must also be viewed within the broader
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strategy to revive Russia's civil
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aviation sector amid restricted access
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to Western aircraft and components.
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Alongside the 2214, Russia is advancing
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other programs such as the MC21, the
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Superjet 100, and the IL114.
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Experts emphasize that the TU214 and the
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MC21 serve different strategic purposes.
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The TU214 is seen as a proven and robust
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platform that can be produced using
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existing industrial capabilities.
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By contrast, the MC21 represents a more
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technologically advanced but higher risk
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At the same time, the difficulties
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surrounding the 2214 reflect broader
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systemic problems within the industry.
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These include the need for stable
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supplier chains, modern manufacturing
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infrastructure, reliable financing, and
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continuous workforce development.
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Certification alone does not guarantee
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the ability to produce aircraft in large
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The arrival of a younger financeoriented
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leader could influence the 2214 program
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in different ways. On the positive side,
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Abrosmov may be able to impose stricter
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financial discipline, streamline
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internal processes, and improve
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coordination between Tupolev, the Kazen
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plant, and government authorities.
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In some cases, leadership renewal
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signals that a stalled project is
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entering a new phase.
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On the other hand, critics point to
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Abroimov's limited background in
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engineering and production.
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This could be a disadvantage given the
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technical complexity of scaling aircraft
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Managing a design bureau and production
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ecosystem under intense political and
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economic pressure is a formidable task
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even for seasoned aviation executives.
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Frequent leadership changes are not
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Similar restructurings have occurred at
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other Russian aircraft manufacturers in
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This underlines the intense pressure on
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the industry to rapidly achieve import
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substitution and modernize airline
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The story of the 2214 is therefore about
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more than missed deadlines or a change
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at the top. It exposes the structural
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strains within Russia's aviation sector
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where ambitious state goals collide with
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limited industrial capacity, aging
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infrastructure, and shortages of skilled
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The future of the 22 214 will depend on
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whether the new leadership can transform
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recent certification success into real
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production growth during 2026 and 2027.
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A firm contract with a major airline
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expected in early 2026 could serve as an
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important signal of confidence.
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If such a deal is signed, it may
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indicate that Tupalev has finally
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crossed a critical threshold.
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If it collapses at the last moment,
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doubts about the aircraft's prospects
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For now, the industry is watching
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closely. The leadership transition has
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taken place. Whether the aircraft itself
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will ultimately enter service in
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meaningful numbers remains an open
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