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.
Russia hopes to complete the conceptual design of its next-generation, stealthy long-range bomber within the next two years as the country bolsters efforts to revitalize its air-combat capabilities. The Russian air force aims to introduce a successor to the Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack, Tu-95 Bear and Tu-22M3 Backfire in about 2025-30, says strategic aviation commander Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev. The new bomber program is known as PAK-DA (Prespektivniy aviatitzionniy kompleks dalney aviatzii, or future aviation complex for long-range aviation).
In November the Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, approved the 2010 federal budget. Spending for defense is 1.25 trillion rubles (about $43 billion), 3.4% more than 2009. The budget share going to defense in 2010 is 12.7%, up marginally from 12.2% the year before.
The MiG-35 fighter that will compete for India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft program is the first Russian aircraft to be equipped with an advanced, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the Zhuk-AE, developed by Phazotron-NIIR Corp. Phazotron has been designing radars for 50 years and has a reputation as an innovator. Yuri Guskov, deputy general director and chief designer, spoke to Contributing Editor Maxim Pyadushkin about the development and performance of Phazotron’s AESA technology.
