Technological Adaptation of the Russian Military Aviation Industry Under Sanctions

This paper analyses the technological adaptation of the Russian military aviation industry under sanctions, with particular reference to combat aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The aim of the research is to determine the extent to which sanctions-related restrictions, the disruption of external technological ties, and the demands of a protracted war have affected the development capabilities, production priorities, and operational role of this sector. The methods applied are content analysis, the comparative method, and descriptive-structural analysis of available scholarly and professional literature, sectoral reports, and statistical data. The research results show that sanctions have not led to the paralysis of the Russian aviation industry, but they have significantly constrained its technologically most complex programmes and increased the importance of intermediary procurement of critical components. At the same time, the analysis shows that the sector has developed various mechanisms of adaptation, including import substitution, cooperation with partner states, and the reorganization of production channels. The analysis indicates that adaptation has been selective: in the combat aircraft sector, the emphasis has shifted toward modernization and serial production of proven platforms, while more dynamic results have been achieved in the segment of helicopters and especially unmanned aerial vehicles. The paper concludes that, after 2022, the Russian military aviation industry has not become technologically sovereign, but it has become more operationally resilient, confirming that its adaptation is based more on pragmatic adjustment than on even technological progress.