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.
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.
