Mexico's second largest airline, Interjet, signed on Monday a $650 million deal with Superjet International to buy 15 regional Sukhoi Superjet 100 planes.

This is the first delivery contract for Russia's new type of Superjet airplanes to a Latin American country. Under the deal, Interjet may have the option to purchase five more planes.

The first deliveries of Superjet airplanes are expected in the second half of 2012.

Superjet International is a joint venture between Russia's Sukhoi Company and Italy's Alenia Aeronautica set up to focus on marketing and sales in Western markets.

The company currently has 170 firm orders for Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft.

The Superjet 100 project is a family of medium-range passenger aircraft developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau in cooperation with major U.S. and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace, and Honeywell.

The aircraft is capable of carrying 75-95 passengers a distance of up to 4,500 kilometers.

VENICE, January 17 (RIA Novosti)