Russia’s Next Mega Engine: PD-24 or PD-26?

Russia’s aviation industry may be entering one of its most important strategic debates in decades. Behind the scenes, Russian aircraft designers and engine developers are increasingly discussing two future high-thrust turbofan concepts — the PD-24 and PD-26. While both engines are linked to the larger PD-35 program, they may represent two completely different visions for the future of Russian aviation.Recent developments intensified speculation after a Tupolev widebody aircraft model appeared equipped with PD-26 engines, while the stretched MC-21-500 concept was linked to the PD-24. At first glance, the difference between the two engines appears small — only a few tons of thrust. But in reality, this debate goes far deeper than raw power.The PD-26 is increasingly viewed as a scaled derivative of the PD-35 core, potentially allowing Russia to simplify production, reduce development costs, and create a universal engine platform for military transports and future widebody aircraft. Supporters argue that Russia’s aviation industry, already under sanctions pressure and manufacturing strain, cannot realistically afford multiple overlapping engine programs.Meanwhile, the PD-24 is being discussed as a more civil aviation-oriented engine optimized for lower fuel burn, better airline economics, and future stretched aircraft such as the MC-21-500. This could make it more attractive for commercial aviation, but critics argue it risks becoming too specialized at a time when Russia is prioritizing industrial consolidation.The debate becomes even more important when connected to the proposed Il-100 “Slon” heavy transport aircraft — a future successor to the An-124 Ruslan. Some experts believe four PD-24-class engines may not provide enough thrust to achieve the aircraft’s original 180-ton payload and long-range ambitions, while others argue Russia can no longer afford extremely heavy and fuel-hungry military transport programs.In this video, we examine everything currently known about the PD-24 and PD-26, how they relate to the PD-35 gas generator platform, why the MC-21-500 and future Tupolev widebodies matter, and why Russia may ultimately be forced to choose only one of these engine families for serial production.#PD24 #PD26 #PD35 #RussianAviation #MC21 #Il100 #Slon #RussianEngines #AviationNews #AircraftEngine #Widebody #MilitaryTransport #UnitedEngineCorporation #RussianAircraft #Aerospace #Geopolitics #AviationIndustry #MC21500 #Antonov124 #Russia Be a Member for exclusive privileges - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCviEFTf1xIPKsjmyF_zvFug/join Twitter : https://x.com/AltitudeAddicts Website: https://www.altitudeaddicts.com