Kyiv-based Antonov State Enterprise at present is not holding talks with Russia on equipping the new An-148/158 regional jets with Russian-French SAM-146 engines, Antonov Concern Board Chairman and President and Chief Designer of Antonov State Enterprise Dmytro Kiva said at a press conference during the 8th International Aerospace Salon Aviasvit-XXI 2012 in Kyiv on September 27, 2012.

He said that conclusions of the preliminary analysis of certain parameters of SAM-146 engines by Antonov State Enterprise, which were obtained by the Ukrainian designer from Power Jet, had been sent to Russia.

"We haven't obtained any response," he said, adding that the conclusions also raised the issue of the cost of work on equipping An-148/158 regional jets with an alternative Russian-French engine, and the source of financing.

The proposal to equip An-148 aircraft with the Russian-French engine was put on the agenda of a meeting of a joint Russian-Ukrainian working group for cooperation in the aviation industry in 2010.

The Antonov An-148 is a regional jet aircraft able to carry 68-85 passengers for a distance of 2,000-4,400 kilometers.

Exploitation of An-148 was started in 2009.

NPO Saturn Scientific-Production Association, jointly with France's Snecma, designed the SAM-146 engine.