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By Bjorn Fehrm

April 24, 2025, © Leeham News: We started looking at the future COMAC C929 widebody 10 days ago. The C929 development has gone through a number of challenges, the first being how to structure the cooperation between China’s COMAC and Russia’s United Aircraft, with the latest being what engines to use for the aircraft.

The first problem was solved by COMAC deciding to go it alone, whereas the last problem around engines has no definite solution yet.

Figure 1. The C929, a new COMAC widebody that shall complement the C919. Source: COMAC.

Summary:

• The C929 airframe is taking form with detailed design having started, according to COMAC.
• The engine side is less settled. The likely engine is the Chinese CJ-2000, a 78,000lbf development of the CJ-1000A engine aimed at the C919.
• We apply the CJ-2000's likely performance to the C929 airframe and use our Aircraft Performance and Cost Model (APCM) to predict the C929's operational performance.