Manufacturer catalog

Sokol Aviation Plant

Sokol Aviation Plant is a Nizhny Novgorod aircraft manufacturer and repair plant in Russia's United Aircraft Corporation system. Rostec describes the plant as a MiG-family enterprise focused on MiG-31, MiG-29, and MiG-29UB repair and modernization, component production for later MiG fighters, and cooperation on other UAC aircraft programs.

2 weapons

The plant began operation on 1 February 1932 as the Gorky aviation plant later associated with the Sergo Ordzhonikidze name. Rostec says Sokol has produced more than 43,500 aircraft over its history, beginning with aircraft developed by the Polikarpov and Lavochkin design bureaus and, from 1949, working with the Mikoyan design bureau on MiG-family fighters.

Sokol's most direct catalog connections are the MiG-31 and Yakovlev Yak-130. TASS reported that MiG-31 production ran from 1975 to 1994 at the Sokol plant in Gorky, now Nizhny Novgorod, with more than 500 aircraft built. UAC's Yak-130 history says the first full-production-configuration Yak-130 was manufactured at Sokol and flew from Nizhny Novgorod on 30 April 2004 before Irkutsk Aviation Plant became the program's production center.

MiG-family aircraft repair and modernizationMiG-31 interceptor modernizationMiG fighter component productionAircraft final assembly historyCivil-aircraft component cooperation

Notable Systems

MiG-31, Long-range interceptor with MiG-31K air-launched ballistic missile carrier variant, Aircraft & UAVs

MiG-31

Long-range interceptor with MiG-31K air-launched ballistic missile carrier variant

TASS states that the MiG-31 was produced from 1975 to 1994 at the Sokol aviation plant in Gorky, now Nizhny Novgorod, and that more than 500 were built. Recent public reporting also describes Sokol's continuing MiG-31 repair and modernization role.

Sources: TASS: 2024 MiG-31 modernization delivery, RuAviation: 2023 MiG-31 modernization
Yakovlev Yak-130, Combat trainer / light attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs

Yakovlev Yak-130

Combat trainer / light attack aircraft

UAC's Yak-130 program history says the first Yak-130 in full production configuration was manufactured at Sokol in Nizhny Novgorod and first flew on 30 April 2004.

Sources: UAC Yak-130 program

Manufacturer History

  1. Nizhny Novgorod aircraft plant founded

    Rostec dates the founding of NAZ Sokol, formerly the Gorky aviation plant named for S. Ordzhonikidze, to 1 February 1932.

    Sources: Rostec: Sokol 90th anniversary

  2. MiG-family production relationship begins

    Rostec says the plant began cooperation with A. I. Mikoyan's design bureau in 1949, producing MiG-family fighters.

    Sources: Rostec: Sokol 90th anniversary

  3. MiG-31 production run

    TASS reports that MiG-31 production at Sokol ran from 1975 to 1994 and totaled more than 500 aircraft.

    Sources: TASS: 2024 MiG-31 modernization delivery

  4. Full-production-configuration Yak-130 flies

    UAC says the first Yak-130 manufactured in full production configuration at Sokol in Nizhny Novgorod made its first flight on 30 April 2004.

    Sources: UAC Yak-130 program

  5. MiG-31 modernization workload continues

    RuAviation, citing UAC, reported that Sokol completed overhaul and modernization of MiG-31 interceptors under the 2023 production program and delivered them to Russia's Ministry of Defence.

    Sources: RuAviation: 2023 MiG-31 modernization

Website links
UAC official websiteRostec 90th anniversary noteUAC Yak-130 program pageTASS on 2024 MiG-31 modernization delivery

Public sources use several English renderings for the Russian plant name, including Sokol Aviation Plant, Sokol Aircraft Plant, Nizhny Novgorod Aviation Plant Sokol, and NAZ Sokol. The profile treats those labels as the same Nizhny Novgorod plant while keeping separate design-bureau credit with Mikoyan and Yakovlev in the connected weapon records.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Rostec: Sokol 90th anniversaryPublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports Sokol's founding date, historical aircraft-production count, MiG-family specialization, and current UAC/RSK MiG corporate context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • UAC Yak-130 programPublisher: United Aircraft Corporation | Note: Supports Yak-130 development history, the 30 April 2004 first flight of the first full-production-configuration Yak-130 manufactured at Sokol, and later Irkutsk production responsibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • TASS: 2024 MiG-31 modernization deliveryPublisher: TASS | Note: Supports Sokol's MiG-31 production period, more-than-500 MiG-31 production count, Nizhny Novgorod/Gorky location context, and 2024 MiG-31 repair and modernization delivery reporting. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • RuAviation: 2023 MiG-31 modernizationPublisher: RuAviation | Note: Supports Sokol's current MiG-31 overhaul and modernization role, citing UAC press-service reporting on 2023 production-program deliveries. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • RuAviation: Sokol in MC-21 cooperationPublisher: RuAviation | Note: Supports Sokol's inclusion in MC-21 production cooperation, civilian diversification context, and continued MiG-31 modernization workload. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • UAC official websitePublisher: United Aircraft Corporation | Note: Supports UAC corporate context as Russia's consolidated aircraft-design and production corporation covering MiG and Yak aircraft brands. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Wikimedia Commons MiG-31 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the CC BY 4.0 MiG-31 photograph used as a representative image for Sokol's MiG-31 production connection. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

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Yakovlev Yak-130, Combat trainer / light attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs2021 Myanmar Civil War, 2026 Iran WarYakovlev Yak-130Combat trainer / light attack aircraftBuilt in: RussiaThe Yakovlev Yak-130 is a Russian two-seat combat trainer and light-attack aircraft designed by Yakovlev and built through the Irkut/Yakovlev line inside United Aircraft Corporation. Official Russian sources frame it as a training aircraft able to simulate modern fighter employment and carry up to 3,000 kg of stores, while conflict records document Myanmar ground-attack sorties and an Iranian Yak-130 shot down during the 2026 Iran War.
MiG-31, Long-range interceptor with MiG-31K air-launched ballistic missile carrier variant, Aircraft & UAVs2014 Russia-Ukraine WarMiG-31Long-range interceptor with MiG-31K air-launched ballistic missile carrier variantBuilt in: Soviet Union / RussiaThe MiG-31 is a Soviet-designed, twin-engine, two-seat long-range interceptor built for high-speed patrols, bomber and cruise-missile interception, and wide-area air defense. Russian industry sources describe the MiG-31BM modernization as adding the Zaslon-M radar and expanded weapons-control capabilities, while Russia's MiG-31K conversion carries the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal and MiG-31BM patrols have been documented with R-37M missiles in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.