LONDON AND MOSCOW—Sukhoi Civil Aircraft co., the maker of the SuperJet, Russia’s first post-Soviet passenger airplane, will sell 50 more such jets over the next few months, doubling total orders by year-end.

“We expect to sell 50 more SuperJets, including to customers in Western Europe,” Mikhail Pogosyan, chief executive officer of the parent company OAO Sukhoi Aviation Holding Co., said in an interview. He spoke on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The SuperJet completed its maiden flight last month, boosting government hopes of restoring the nation’s status as a global aircraft manufacturer. Russia is spending more than $1.4 billion developing the 75- to 95-seat SuperJet in an effort to make its civil- aviation industry competitive.

Sukhoi counted 73 orders before the test of the 95-seat SuperJet-100 and plans to bring them to 150 by year-end. State-owned Sukhoi and partner Finmeccanica SpA, Italy’s biggest defense company, have a target of selling at least 1,800 SuperJets over 20 years, including a bigger version that will compete with Airbus SAS’s A320 series and Boeing Co.’s 737.

“The step-by-step increase in orders following the start of the test program is in line with our strategy,” Pogosyan said. “It will help minimize risks from the possible delays in schedule.”

The SuperJet made its first flight almost five months later than scheduled. Maxim Grishanin, chief financial officer of the planemaker’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft division, said last month that difficulties in integrating components from about 40 international suppliers, including an engine codeveloped by Safran SA’s Snecma unit, caused the delay. (Bloomberg)

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LONDON AND MOSCOW—Sukhoi Civil Aircraft co., the maker of the SuperJet, Russia’s first post-Soviet passenger airplane, will sell 50 more such jets over the next few months, doubling total orders by year-end.