Maksim covers aerospace developments in Central Asia for Aviation Week. He has worked for Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine and was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications after working for the Moscow-based CAST defense think tank.
Maksim has a degree in international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow.
The Russian aerospace industry hoped the revamped Tupolev Tu-204SM would serve as a bridge until launch of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) MS-21 narrowbody in 2017, but it still does not have a single order, despite its recent certification by aviation authorities in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
MOSCOW — The Russian defense ministry has ordered 15 Antonov An-148 regional jets to be assembled under license in Russia at a Voronezh-based VASO facility. Although the deal was signed in May, the announcement was made June 6 during the VASO annual shareholders meeting. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered to the military this year, according to a representative of the VASO parent company, United Aircraft Corporation. The rest of the batch will be shipped at a rate of three to four aircraft per year through 2017.
MOSCOW — The Russian military continues its rearmament effort, with a plan to buy its first amphibious aircraft in decades. The Russian Defense Ministry placed an order on May 24 with Taganrog-based Beriev company for six Be-200s. The contract’s value is 8.4 billion rubles ($269 million), and deliveries are to be completed by the end of 2016.
