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.
Russian ground forces are preparing to field new unmanned aircraft, plugging a capability gap in their arsenal that was highlighted during the 2008 conflict in Georgia. The Russian military has opted for three unmanned systems to be evaluated for a trial period, after a downselect from a larger set of candidates. Shortlisted are the Orlan-10, built by St. Petersburg-based Special Technology Center (STC); the Zala-421-04M Lastochka, designed by a Zala Aero/Vega Concern team; and Eleron-10, developed by Enics from Kazan.
Representatives of the Russian ground forces have begun a competition to select unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for use in reconnaissance and target designation. The UAVs are also expected to be compatible with a tactical troop command and control (C2) system that is under development.
MOSCOW — The Russian air force expects to grow its fleet of Ansat-U light training helicopters to seven units by year’s end, with five helos of the type already handed over to the Syzran air force academy. The training assets were delivered Oct. 8 and Oct. 20. Russian air force commander Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin promises that the helicopters will gradually replace aging Mil Mi-2 light helicopters as the rotorcraft used for initial pilot training in the military academies.
