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.
Plans for Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to take a controlling share in Ukrainian commercial and military aircraft manufacturer Antonov remain very much alive, although no deal was signed during top-level political discussions April 21. Russian industry’s acquisition of a majority shareholding in Antonov was on the agenda during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Kiev, and though nothing was inked, the Russian president has authorized UAC to start the integration with Antonov as soon as possible, according to a company executive.
Russia is offering a version of the Club family of cruise missiles that can be packed in a standard cargo container and transported by ship, train or on roadways. Versions of Club are already fitted on the Kilo-class submarine and the Project 1135.6 frigate. The Moscow-based Morinformsystema-AGAT, the designer of Club’s control system, is developing the Club-K container modification. The system would be capable of being used against naval and land targets, depending on which versions of the Novator 3M-54 and 3M-14 missiles were included.
New Delhi and Moscow are moving forward on the procurement of a new aircraft carrier and additional carrier-based fighters following the visit to India of a top-level Russian delegation. However, the delegation could not lock in agreement on other key defense projects.
