Comac


The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. is a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer established on 11 May 2008 in Shanghai. Their headquarters is in Pudong, Shanghai. The company has a registered capital of RMB 19 billion. The corporation is a designer and constructor of large passenger aircraft with capacities of over 150 passengers.
The first aircraft marketed by Comac is the ARJ21 regional jet, which was developed by China Aviation Industry Corporation I. This was followed by the C919 narrow-body aircraft, which can seat up to 168 passengers and made its maiden flight in 2017, entering into commercial service in March 2023.

History

Origins

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China was established on 11 May 2008 in Shanghai. It was established jointly by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Aluminum Corporation of China, Baosteel Group Corporation, Sinochem Group, Shanghai Guosheng Corporation Limited, and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

U.S. sanctions

In January 2021, the United States government named Comac as a company "owned or controlled" by the People's Liberation Army and thereby prohibited any American company or individual from investing in it. In January 2025, Comac was added to a United States Department of Defense list of companies that allegedly work with the PLA. In May 2025, the U.S. tightened export controls on certain parts previously shipped to Comac.

Products

For all models beginning with the 919, Comac's naming system for commercial airliners has taken the form of 9X9. In November 2024, Comac rebranded the ARJ21 as the C909 to match the format of the other models.
AircraftDescriptionCapacityFirst flight
C909Twin‑engine, single aisle, short-range70−10528 November 2008
C919Twin‑engine, single aisle, short- to medium-range150−1905 May 2017
C929Twin‑engine, twin aisle, long-range250−2902030
C939Twin‑engine, twin aisle, long- to ultra long-range400
C949Twin‑engine, single aisle, supersonic

Orders and deliveries

As of December 2025.
AircraftOrdersOptionsDeliveriesBacklog
C90931235169154
C9191,00512030989
C929
C939
C949
Total1,3171551851,143

Collaborations

Bombardier

On 24 March 2011, Comac and the Canadian company Bombardier Inc. signed a framework agreement for a long-term strategic cooperation on commercial aircraft.
In May 2017, Bombardier and Comac began holding talks about an investment into Bombardier's passenger jet business.

Boeing

On 23 September 2015, Boeing announced plans to build a Boeing 737 completion and finishing plant in China. The facility will be used to paint exteriors and install interiors into airframes built in the United States. The joint-venture plant will be located in Zhoushan, Zhejiang.

Ryanair

In June 2011 Comac and Irish low-cost airline Ryanair signed an agreement to cooperate on the development of the C919, a 200-seat narrow-body commercial jet which will compete with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

UAC

China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Co. Ltd., a joint venture company invested by Comac and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation responsible for the development of a wide-body commercial jet, was established in Shanghai on 22 May 2017. Research and development for the new plane was to be conducted in Moscow, with aircraft to be assembled in Shanghai. Subsequently, the partnership was dropped, and by November 2023 Comac announced that it would develop the aircraft model on its own.