KnAAPO

KnAAPO, or Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, is a Russian aerospace manufacturing facility located in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Far East. It is one of the primary production plants for Sukhoi and operates under the umbrella of the United Aircraft Corporation. The plant specializes in the final assembly, integration, and testing of Sukhoi fighter aircraft for the Russian military and international customers.

The enterprise traces its origins to the Soviet period, when it was established to expand the country’s defense industrial base. Over the decades it became a central site for producing Sukhoi designs, notably contributing to the Su-27 family and its derivatives. In the subsequent modernization era, KnAAPO expanded capabilities to assemble newer variants and adapt production lines to contemporary requirements, including improved avionics, weapons integration, and quality control processes.

Operations at KnAAPO encompass complete airframe assembly, powerplant installation, avionics integration, flight testing, and delivery readiness. The facility has produced several variants of the Su-27 family, such as Su-27, Su-27SK, Su-30/MK series, Su-34 and related airframe upgrades. In addition to new-build aircraft, the plant engages in modernization, upgrade programs, and sustainment activities for in-service jets, supporting both domestic and export customers through lifecycle services.

KnAAPO is regarded as a key asset in Russia’s military aerospace industry, contributing to the country’s front-line capabilities and defense exports. It collaborates with other factories and design bureaus within Sukhoi and the broader UAC framework to maintain production continuity and technological development.

See also: Sukhoi, United Aircraft Corporation, Komsomolsk-on-Amur.