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.
Maxim Pyadushkin (Moscow), Douglas Barrie (London)
Prompted by Western and other competitive air-to-air developments and renewed domestic funding, Russia is now offering upgraded versions of its own weaponry in the export arena.
MOSCOW — Russian defense spending for 2010 is 1.25 trillion rubles ($43 billion), 3.4 percent more than 2009. The budget share going to defense in 2010 is 12.7 percent, up marginally from 12.2 percent the year before.
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).
