Irish regional airline CityJet took delivery of Western Europe’s first Sukhoi SSJ100 on Tuesday during a ceremony in Venice, Italy, at the headquarters of the program’s Western sales and aftermarket support partner, SuperJet International. The airline has agreed to lease 15 SSJ100s and holds delivery options for another 16. Sukhoi and SuperJet International—51-percent owned by Alenia Aermacchi and the balance by Sukhoi Holdings—value the deal at more than $1 billion, including options and aftersales services.

“The Superjet 100 project scope and importance goes well beyond any major infrastructure program,” said Sukhoi Civil Aircraft chairman Boris Aleshin. “It is the high-tech flagship of Russia-Italy cooperation, and it has a great potential to generate new industrial partnership deals between our two countries.”

Dublin-based CityJet operates from key airports in Europe, including London City. The airline expects to receive three SSJ100s this year, and the remainder from 2017 onwards. The SSJ100 achieved European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification in 2012.

Superjet International configured the CityJet aircraft in a 98-seat cabin layout with an interior designed by Italy’s Pininfarina. The contract calls for SuperJet International to provide CityJet with the technical support through a SuperCare agreement for 12 years. CityJet crews are undergoing training at SuperJet’s training center in Venice.

Founded in 1993, CityJet operates a network of routes primarily from London City Airport in addition to wet-lease services on behalf of European airline customers and a substantial charter business. It employs 670 staff at bases in Finland, France, Ireland, Sweden and the UK, and operates a fleet of 18 Avro RJ85s and eight Bombardier CRJ900s.

“We are very proud because CityJet is a reputable operator in the heart of Europe,” said SuperJet International CEO Nauzario Cauceglia. “This achievement highlights the development of the SSJ100 Program in Europe and in the international scenario. We know that the new customers are closely following us, focusing on the high advantages of the SSJ100 product and our robust and dependable technical support centralized in Europe.”