Russia tests Sberbank AI for fighter jet design as sanctions bite

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is testing Sberbank's GigaChat AI model to assist in designing future military and civilian aircraft, as Western sanctions push Moscow toward domestic software solutions. The experimental initiative could eventually support advanced fighter jet development, though no specific project has been identified. UAC, which manufactures the Su-57 and Su-35 fighters and the MC21 passenger jet, is using the large language model to explore aircraft configurations during preliminary design phases. The technology may later aid structural strength assessments and aerodynamic computations, but engineers emphasize AI adoption will remain selective based on practical requirements. Following the February 2022 war in Ukraine, Western suppliers like Dassault Systèmes, Siemens, and Autodesk withdrew, prompting UAC to install domestic alternatives across roughly 4,000 engineering computers. The MC21 program faces delays, with certification for a fully Russian-component version now expected by late 2027.