In addition to writing for Aviation Week Network, Maxim holds a key position at Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine (www.ato.ru). In the past he was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications and earlier worked for the Moscow-based CAST defense think-tank.
Maxim has a degree on international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, and for several years worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
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.
