MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Irkut aircraft building corporation has picked Canada's Pratt&Whitney and Britain's Rolls Royce to supply engines for new MS-21 airliners, the corporation's president said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the international airshow MAKS near Moscow, Oleg Demchenko said: "The best two firms have been chosen. The technical details are being verified at the moment, and the final decision will be announced shortly."

The MS-21 plane, developed by Russia's major manufacturing companies Ilyushin, Tupolev and Yakovlev, is to replace the aging Tu-154, which currently accounts for some 80% of Russia's passenger and freight traffic. It is also set to compete with the Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737 aircraft.

The new passenger jet is due to enter service in 2012.

Demchenko also said avionics for the liner would be supplied by Rockwell Collins and Russia's Avionika concern.