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.
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.
Despite its success, the 2008 war with Georgia brought about a serious transformation of the Russian armed forces, as it showed that the Soviet military legacy could not provide an effective response against regional threats.
