Updated April 7, 2008

   Russia and the USA

have finally signed an agreement about atom for peace after they have been negotiating for several years. Now the American market is open for the Russian uranium and atomic equipment as well.

However, nuclear fuel supplies

are lim ite

d till 2020, and the Russian engineers do not consider the USA market prospective.

    Director general of Rosatom State Corporation Sergey Kirienko and the US ambassador to Russia William Burns have signed an agreement about the co-operation in the atom for peace area. The document discussion has been started in 2006 and it becomes the legal basis for the economic relations of the countries in this area and actually opens the American nuclear power market for the Russian companies.

Until now the supplies of

the Russian nuclear fuel to the USA have been restricted, and equipment and materials have been supplied in terms of specific contracts.

So, for instance, Russia could not import natural ur anium from the USA till an agreement was signed.

"Today all i have been dotted, and an agreement opens up enormous space for our possibilities. Both parties will benefit from the o

pportunity of legal co-operation", Sergey Kirienko declared.

   The Russian producers of equipment for nuclear industry have skeptically treated the new prospects. In Power Machines Company (supplies turbines for nuclear power plants (NPP) and Atomenergoprom (controls the supplier of boiler equipment) explained "they are always pleased with new contracts", however, underlined they did not even discuss the possible supplies of equipment to the US markets. Both companies unofficially consider th at

supplies of the Russian equipment to the US NPPs are improbable (though they do not eliminate a co-operation with the American companies in the Third World countries), and a new agreement is first of all important for nuclear fuel supplies.

   However, exactly in the area of uranium supplies an agreement envisages the whole range of restrictions.

In particular, Russia can independently enter the US market with its nuclear fuel only in three years and with quite small volumes. In 2011 the country can supply only 16,6 tons uranium (it is less than one fuelling for 1000 MW NPP), in 2013 the volumes up by 485 tons. On the whole, the USA consumes around 20 000 tons of uranium a year, i.e. the Russian supplies total just around 2,5% of the market. In 2014 Russia can supply the 20% needs of the American NPPs (without consideration of new reactors), and beginning from 2020 all restrictions will be removed.

   By the formal feature these restrictions will not improve, but worsen Russia's positions at the American market. So, since 1994 the Russian nuclear fuel is supplied to the USA only within the framework of HEU- LEU agreement (highly enriched uranium; low enriched uranium) – this is the processed uranium from a nuclear weapon. According to the official data, more than 44% American NPPs use it. But these are not direct supplies. Within the agreement framework all uranium is bought by the intermediary United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) at a fixed price, which is considerably lower than a market one.

Direct supplies have been limited not only in terms of an agreement absence about atom for peace – since the 1990th in the USA have been applied high antidumping duties concerning the Russian uranium, which have not imposed on fuel only within the framework of HEU- LEU agreement. However, last autumn Russia succeeded to contest judicially the measures, and the process of their remove was started, which should complete in 2011. In 2013 the HEU- LEU agreement expires.

   As a consequence, though with restriction of market volume, beginning from 2011 Russia can supply a fuel to the USA at higher prices. Moreover, it is a uranium, not processed from a nuclear weapon, but produced at the enriching works of Atomenergoprom (amalgamated with Rosatom), that increases the supplies revenues, as said Rosatom representatives.

On the other hand, to the moment of the American market opening for Russia it is planned to launch three new works to enrich uranium in the USA. USEC has already started to construct the production which is planned to put into operation in 2012. GLE comp any h as already found a place to construct the works with laser enrichment technology. French Areva declared also it would construct an enterprise for uranium enrichment costing $2 billion in the American Idaho state.

The company plans to launch it in 2014.

   Industry analysts consent the restrictions imposed within the framework of an agreement about a tom for peace will still permit Russia

to increase earnings from the operation at the US market. So, Mikhail Stiskin from Troika Dialog marks that a considerable positive effect would give the transition to market prices.

The current discrepancy between the market and HEU- LEU is not suppressed as well, but in 2006 Techsnabexsport has estimated the profits not received because of the agreement at $1,1 billion. An analyst also considers that despite the increasing rivalry at the US market Russia's raw material "will be called-up at the market and problems with the realization will not arise".

Updated March 31, 2008

Rosoboronexport State Corporation will present Su-35 multi-role fighter in the airport of Chilean capital of Santiago within the 15th FIDAE-2008 International Air and Space air show, as reported the press-service

of Rosoboronexport.

"Su-35 is a multi-role high maneuver fighter of "4 ++" generation. It is an air superiority aircraft applied to engage both ground and surface targets in any weather conditions and at any time of a day", reported in press-service.

"Within its development and production were used the fifth-generation technologies providing superiority above the foreign fighters of analogical type".

The distinctive features of a fighter are the avionic facilities on

the b asis of the digital information management system, which integrates the airborne equipment system, as well as the new airborne radar with the long-range air and surface target acquisition.

It allows accompanying around 30 air targets and bombarding eight targets simultaneously.

Su-35 is powered by thrust vector control engines combined with high aerodynamic performances, which provide the fighter with high maneuverability.

The aircraft can carry up to 8 tons of delivered ordnance on 12 suspension points and use the wide range of both guided and unguided destruction means.

Under the Rosoboronexport aegis n ine Russian enterprises will present about 200 perspective weapon and military equipment samples well-reputed

in many countries.

Rosoboronexport has representative offices in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

The corporation actively participates in weapon and military equipment exhibitions held in Latin America.

"There are all grounds to expect that efforts spent for development of military-technical cooperation of Russia with the Central and South America countries will yield weighty results already in the nearest future", marked in press-service.

Actuality March 20, 2008

   The Russian Atomenergoprom and the Japanese Toshiba Corporation will construct the nuclear power plants. Atomenergoprom head Vladimir Travin and Toshiba Corporation president Atsutoshi Nishida signed the agreement about the collaboration in the peaceful use of nuclear energy area. The agreement does not have the framework character yet.

Although the experts are sure that it is the first step towards the complete transnational alliance establishment which will become the leading player at the global market.

About the benefit of unions with the Russian nuclear scientists

   Atomenergoprom and Toshiba are ready to conquer the world market and to construct the nuclear power plants (NPP) in the Third World countries.

However, the Russian and Japanese companies wait when the bilateral intergovernmental agreement about the peaceful use of nuclear energy comes into effect.

   By now the world nuclear market has been divided between three transnational alliances: French-German Areva-Siemens and two American-Japanese – Toshiba-Westinghouse

and GE-Hitachi. The main intrigue is who among these majors joins the Russian Atomenergoprom. In the experts' opinion, it would automatically mean the substantial superiority of one player above the other two.

And now this superiority distinctly stands out.

   "New alliance will make nervous all international corporations in the nuclear area, because it will, probably, become the strategic one and is already the largest in the world", considers the first commission deputy chairman of the Federation council for natural monopolies Valentin Mezhevich. "The Russian corporation and Toshiba amalgamated their capacities and provided itself more competitive advantages in the nuclear engineering, NPP equipment production, NPP construction and nuclear-fuel cycle".

Trillion for all

Volume of orders at the nuclear power energy market grows every day.

More than $1 trln is on the scale in the nearest years.

   The world interest to the nuclear power energy grows for several reasons (some countries, for example the USA, begin considering to continue NPP construction after the 25-years break). First and foremost, prices for oil and gas tied to the oil products continue to grow and that makes their use rather expensive. Secondly, some countries' attempts to create more effective and cheap alternative power energy sources did not succeed yet. Thirdly, safety technologies on NPP almost eliminate the accident possibility.

   As the result many countries began the reconsider their power energy in the nuclear generation favor. In particular, the USA and China are going to construct more than 100 reactors, India – around 40, Great Britain – over 10.

The new power plants are to appear in Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, Finland, Bulgaria and other countries.

In the analysts' opinion, in the nearest and medium-term perspective the volume of orders for power units can attain 600. Thus, as the average cost of one power unit with 1 GW capacity is $2 bln, the potential volume of orders will exceed $1trln. As the comparison: it equals the aggregated annual military budget of all world countries and Russia GDP.

Synergy in nuclear

   Toshiba Corporation is the Japanese producer of nuclear reactors and specializes in boiling water reactors' technology used mainly in Asia. In 2006 the corporation purchased 77% stocks of the American Westinghouse Electric Company.

It is one of the leading suppliers of nuclear fuel, services and technologies for the pressurized water reactors. Westinghouse constructed most nuclear power plants in the USA.

   "Toshiba does not have the complete nuclear fuel cycle today.

And Russia has the substantial stake by all its segments, including the world market", explains the director general of Russia Energy Efficiency Union Semen Dragulsky. "Moreover, equipment production technology and engineering of NPP construction are now-how which Japanese have and the Russian companies do not". Also, the Japanese are able to construct NPP power unit for 36 months, while the Russian construction term is five years.

The collaboration with Toshiba brings the noticeable benefit taking into account Rosatom obligations to construct over 20 power units in Russia by 2020.

It its turn, Russia can construct the storage for low enriched uranium in Japan which almost 100% depends on the nuclear fuel supplies now.

   Moreover, there is already the concrete project for NPP construction. Atomenergoprom and Toshiba can construct Primorsk NPP (it is included to the general scheme for power energy objects location by 2020 approved by the government recently). The point is that it would be more comfortable to supply the large equipment there from Japan for logistic reasons.

   The experts do not eliminate that the joint venture with Toshiba for the NPP equipment production can appear in Russia. Last year was established the joint venture between Atomenergomash JSC and French Alstom for the low speed turbines production for nuclear industry.

Actuality March 12, 2008

World military expenditures exceed $1 trillion a year, declared the director of

the Center for Policy and International Studies Alexander Nikitin.

According to him, they are rather estimated at $1,3 trln. Moreover, Pentagon open expenditures total $481 bln plus $270 bln as the additional financing.

He reported about this on the Moscow meeting of the research and expert council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

According to him, for these purposes Russia spends less than Germany, but more than Italy.

The Russian military expenditures total $34 bln, Germany spends $39 bln and Italy – $32 bln. Nikitin also said that England with $52 bln and France with $53 bln outstrip Russia by military expenditures.

Actuality February 14, 2008

Federal Bio-Medical Agency

of the Russian Federation elaborated

the concept of the federal target program for development of nuclear medicine. Valentin Uyba, the agency head, reported about this.

According to him, the new project is scheduled for the period from 2010 to 2015 and includes construction of four centers of nuclear medicine in Dimitrovgrad, Tomsk, Yekaterinburg and Dubne.

Realization of the program will demand large expenses, Uyba underlined.

So, construction of center in Dimitrovgrad will cost the treasury RUR 26 bln, and the center in Tomsk – RUR 34 bln.

Currently, the best terms for creation of nuclear medic ine center are in Dimitrovgrad – local enterprises produce all types of radioisotopes, moreover,

there already operates the medical center, and construction of new building for the new medical establishment is already almost ready.

It is planned to put the sec ond center in operati

on in Tomsk on the basis of the Tomsk Institute of Nuclear Physics.

"New centers will include all spectrum of nuclear technologies, including neutron irradiation, positron emission tomography, brachytherapy, open and close types of nuclear therapy, when an ionizing source penetrates with sore tissue", Valentin Uyba reported.

According to him, creation of centers

of nuclear medicine will allow to increase efficiency of oncologic diseases treatment.

Currently, similar establishments do not exist in Russia, separate technologies of nuclear medicine are used only in large oncologic clinics, marked the head of

the Federal Bio-Medical Agency.

Actual ity January 12, 2008

   The first Vice Prime Minister of Russian Federation (RF) Sergey Ivanov declared that according to 2007 results the Russian weapon export would attain the next record, exceeding $7bln. Thus, Russia received about $1 bln less because of problems with ship building and cooling relations with Algeria.

For seven years, within which the former head of Rosoboronexport Federal State Unitary Enterprise (FSUE) and now director general of Rostecnology public corporation Sergey Chemezov was engaged in weapon export, the sales volume grew twice.

   According to Mr. Ivanov, "in the current year there are all grounds to talk about crossing $7 bln mark". It is a record: in 2006 the Russian weapon was sold for $6,5 bln. Growth of weapon export became the result of large contracts concluded in 2004-2006. The situation in the world favored their conclusion, when on the background of the USA operations in Afghanistan and Iraq some moslem countries began to carry out the mass purchases of military equipment in Russia, perceiving it as if not the enemy of America, but at least as the competitor. At the same time, Russian defensive industry on export contracts gradually went out from the crisis of the 90th, that allowed beginning large serial deliveries from 2006-2007.

   The main volume of concluded contracts fell to the stake of created in November, 2000 public intermediary – FSUE Rosoboronexport (producers and developers of armaments are now allowed to export only repair parts indep ende

ntly, and also to conduct repair and modernization of the installed technique). At first, Rosoboronexport director general was Andrey Belyaninov, but the main work on preparation of the largest contracts conducted his first deputy Sergey Chemezov.

And in April, 2004 he headed the company. The old acquaintance of Mr. Chemezov with Vladimir Putin contributed to the more active state support of export projects of the Russian armorers. On November, 26 Mr. Chemezov headed Rostecnology public corporation, which joined Rosoboronexport.

Thus, for seven years of Sergey Chemezov work in Rosoboronexport the sales volume of the Russian weapon grew from $3,68 bln (in 2000) up to more than $7 bln.

   In Rosoboronexport they did not comment the statement of Mr. Ivanov. According to the head of Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) Mikhail Dmitriev, the aviation technique continues to be in the most demand: Su and MiG airplanes, Mi helicopters. Indeed, this year Russia supplies about 70 Su-30 fighters to India, Algeria, Venezuela, Malaysia to the sum about $3 bln. "This year became the record one for us", declared Oleg Demchenko, the president of the Irkut corporation. "Irkutsk plant will assemble 43 fighters Su-30MKI, Su-30MKM and Su-30MKI(A) by the year end. We did not assemble so much even in the soviet years". In 2007 large deliveries were executed in the Air Defense field. At the beginning of the year Mr.

Ivanov again officially declared about contract execution with Iran on the short-range complexes "Tor-M1". In addition, continued contract execution on supplies of long-range systems S-300PMU to China.

   Execution of the planned deliveries in naval armaments has failed.

In September the Indian fleet representatives reported that the lease transfer of nuclear-power submarine Chakra of project 971 Schuka-B, planned for August, 15, is postponed till June, 15, 2008, as the Amur shipbuilding plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur detains its building for ten months. Russia insisted on the increase of the contract cost from $650 mln to $785 mln. India agreed on the postponement, but refused to reconsider

the price.

   Execution of some contracts with Algeria was stopped, agreements included in the package for $8 bln, signed in March, 2006 during Vladimir Putin visit to this country.

Initiative to freeze the already agreed purchase of the Russian weapon belongs

to Algeria authorities. Relations cooling, apparently, was caused by both domestic political situation in Algeria and sudden activation on African direction of France.

   In a short-term perspective it is possible to expect further volumes´ growth of military equipment supplies from Russia. Portfolio growth of weapon exporters' orders testifies it.

In February Mr. Dmitriev declared, that it totals $30 bln, from which "about $20 bln falls to Rosoboronexport stake", and that allows the Russian export to remain at the level of 2007 the next two-three years.

The FSVTS head reported: "The present portfolio volume of export orders of Military-Technical Cooperation subjects – over $32bln – allows quite optimistically to look at collaboration perspectives in military-technical sphere. The basic reserve is created by Rosoboronexport, in its asset the orders portfolio totals $24 bln". It is expected that in 2008 aviation deliveries will prevail in export also – fighters Su and MiG to India, Venezuela, Indonesia, Syria. Supplies of air defense systems are also planned to China and Syria, warships to Vietnam, submarines to India and Algeria.

   However, experts do not eliminate decline of the Russian weapon deliveries in three-four years. "With the output of $7 bln we face some "plateau". Our export will stay at this level at least the nearest three-four years, if the existent international state of affairs remains", declared Ruslan Pukhov, the director of Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

"However, dramatic falling can expect this "plateau" then. In expert opinion, Russian defensive industry experiences the staff hunger, especially for highly skilled workers. At the same time inflation in defensive industry substantially exceeds the general level over the country: if in 2007 inflation in Russia makes up about 12%, in the military industrial complex it exceeds 20%. Moreover, in Mr.

Pukhov opinion, in defensive industry rapidly grow overhead costs because of non-use of energy conservation technologies. As a result, Russia can not produce part of armaments at all, and others can occur noncompetitive in price.

In Russia

the nuclear industry has caught its second wind.

In the program of branch development till 2020 planned such quantity of power units that was put into operation in Russia for the whole Soviet period.
In woods near Voronezh construction of the first nuclear power plant for the last 15 years was started in Russia. Now it is still hard to believe, but

its first block will give electric power in 2012.

Ilya Copytov, Senior Executive Vice-President of Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Atomenergoproekt”, says, “It differs by higher capacity and essentially new approaches in the branch of safet

y. Essentially, at the same time it is an evolutionary project which is based on the whole oper

ating experience of nuclear stations of the previous generations. But it also takes into account all recommendations of international organisations, achievements of the Russian science and techniques of last years”.

At the first stage, two blocks will be constructed, then probably two more. Gradually, they will replace power units of the Novovoronezhsky nuclear power plant (NPP) which will reach the end of their service life. But the power will be much higher. It will suffice for the whole Mid Black Earth Region.

And it is only the first swallow of the big plan for expansion of atomic energy industry of Russia. The head of Rosatom reported to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin about implementation of the program.

Sergey Kirienko: “Here, in the obligatory program there are 26 new power units of high power. Power of each block is 1150 megawatt.

Here, we have to put in operation 26 blocks till 2020″.
– Vladimir Putin: “Till 2020. And how many blocks were put during the whole Soviet period?”
– Sergey Kirienko: “30″.

It is no coincidence that the President so captiously asked the head of Rosatom. He initiated this large-scale program. The growing national economy demands more and more energy. If there is no energy,

there will be no growth.
Presently the contribution of nuclear stations to the whole energy sector of Russia is just about 16 %. According to the plan of the President, the nuclear power plants have to produce already a quarter of the whole electric power of Russia by 2020.

And further the atomic energy industry share will reach 30 %.
For tod ay it is

a strategic task. Constructors of Beloyarsk NPP 4th block near Yekaterinburg felt that.

Recently its major elements arrived at last. These are storage containers for sodium, liquid metal, which in this reactor is used as the heat-carrier.

Now construction will speed up.

Valery Lushin, the chief of assembly industrial department of Beloyarsk NPP 4th block, says, “This stage is important because it is the first large equipment of the reactor.

We have brought a container of sodium, a drain container of sodium and the second container we will assemble”.

Safety and reliability of nuclear reactors must be above suspicion. According to Kirienko during last 5 years there have not been registered any deviations from the standards of the international scale of safety for the nuclear power plants at the Russian ones.

The law of state corporation came into force. It is aimed to create conditions for development of nuclear branch and its modernization.

The new corporation will unite civil and military nuclear complexes of Russia under the sole management. This, according to experts, will allow Russia to defend its interests on the international market more successfully.

And also it will provide financing of scientific researches in nuclear sphere. And nobody has any doubt that Russian scientists of this sphere always have something new.

The probable future of Russian power industry fits in a small suitcase. This is the reduced copy of nuclear installation for production of fuel from water.
Nikolay Kodochigov, the design manager of I.I. Africantov OKB Mechanical Engineering (OKBM), says: “We take water, we use the heat of nuclear high-temperature reactor, and we get hydrogen and oxygen. If hydrogen is burnt, we get water. The circle closed up.

The ecology completely does not suffer at all, and thus, we create the new artificial energy resource”.

By word of mouth everything is simple. Recently it would be called a fantasy. Scientists assure that the reactor is made so, that all processes in it simply stop, if any disturbance. So it is completely safe.

Modular gel reactor with the gas turbine has to produce both current and hydrogen fuel, which in the future may replace oil and gas. The term of project realization is 2017.

Delivery of the Iskander tactical missile systems to Belarus will become an asymmetrical response to the plans of the USA on creation of the third positioning ABM (anti-ballistic missile) region in European continent, reference to the statement of commander of the Russian Missile and Artillery Troops, Colonel General Vladimir Zaritsky.

“Any action always triggers counteraction, and it is the same with ABM elements in the USA, the Czech Republic and Poland”, general added. Zaritsky underlined also, that Russian and Belarusian missilemen closely co-operate and are intended to develop cooperation.
The statement of Zaritsky became a response to the report of commander of the Belarusian Missile and Artillery Troops, Michael Puzikov, who has declared about planned deliveries of Iskander systems from Russia.

As Zaritsky marked, presently the Iskander potentialities correspond to limitations of treaty about medium-range (MRBM) and short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM), forbidding elaboration, production and deployment of ground-launched ballistic missiles (GLBM) with a range of 500-5000 km. However, in case of Russia abrogating the treaty, the Iskander receives extended-range ballistic missiles (ERBM).

Presently the Russian forces enters the Iskander system of basic modification equipped with solid-propellant single-stage ballistic missiles with a range of 280 km. The first missile brigade, equipped with the systems of this type, already is on a combat duty in the North Caucasus military district.

Entry into service of the system with aerodynamic missiles is expected in 2009.

More details about the Iskander-E (export version) tactical missile system

Successfully run Russian state tests of the new precise-accuracy Iskander-E system. The Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation rates this development among absolute priorities. The system is able to handle all operational tasks vested in this weapon class. Its appearance in forces will substantially increase possibilities of Armed Forces of Russia.

This system, equipped with two missiles, has lethal firepower.

It allows to engage two various targets with an interval in one minute.

At the development of the Iskander-E all treaty requirements about MRBM and SRBM and about nonproliferation of missile technologies, that limit Russian right for export deliveries of missiles with a range of more than 300 km and payload weight more than 500 kg, are satisfied. Launch range of this system is 50-280 km, missile launch weight is 3.800 kg, and payload weight is 480

kg. Flight range is non-ballistic, hardly predicted for an enemy.

A missile is controlled throughout the entire flight path. On the initial stage it is controlled by gas dynamic vanes and after speed pick-up by aerodynamic. Right after the start and directly at target approach the missile begins to manoeuvre, changing the flight plane that, in particular, impedes its verification from space.

The greater part of missile flight range, made on stealth technology and having small radar cross section (RCS), runs at the 50 km height, reducing its destruction probability both from earth and from air. Stealth effect is attained due to the aggregate of construction features. In particular, by special coating of construction, by dropping off of all its projecting parts right after the start and other.

Depending on type of flight path, G-force correlates from 20 to 30 g. For interception ABM sustains G-force at least 2-3 times higher.

All these creates considerable difficulties to the developers of the antiballistic systems with the Iskander-E.
The immediate competitor of the Iskander-E tactical missile system is the American ATACMS system, and also, in a lesser degree, Chinese missiles

of M9 type.

Firing distance of basline version of ATACMS is 112-115 km, at modernization, due to reduction of warhead weight, is about 180 km. The fundamental difference is considerably more low precision, which in the American system is possible to improve only due to the NAVSTAR navigation system. Iskander-E is an absolute leader as for ABM defense.

The Russian system is able to work both in the NAVSTAR navigation system, and in autonomous mode with the homing warheads on the terrain maps.

Source data – aero- or space photos.

All other operations – preparation of mission, its processing and other – Iskander-E systems execute independently. In case of the homing warheads use the precise accuracy of target engagement is measured in meters.
Preliminary marketing researches show large foreign customers’ interest in Iskander-E. But rather notable is a quite powerful opposition of the USA. The point is that none of the existent and perspective ABM systems is unable to fight against such tactical missile system. The military-industrial lobby of the USA exerts strong pressure upon a number of potential buyers of Iskander-E.
We will mark that all components of this tactical missile system are made at batch production factories, and everything is ready for the immediate batch production.

Within the framework of state tests the Iskander-E system was lauchned more than 10 times – more than a half. A basic problem is prepayment delays of subcontractors for making of materiel to the next tests’ stages. In the presence of proper financial provision they would be soon accomplished.

In Zhukovskiy near Moscow closed the 8th International aerospace show “MAX-2007″. 787 companies from more than 40 countries of the world participated in it.

Its important features were the participation of China which didn’t take part in the previous show, and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), with which today the aircraft future of Russia is connected.

Besides, undoubtedly, spectacular air show and large amount of manifold equipment spectators of “?AX-2007″ remembered this event also by kilometers-long jams, terrible heat and unpretentious Russian service.

Unfortunately, simple visitors of the show

were not able to see the only innovation deserving attention,

the real sensation of this year. It was the mockup of a battle pilotless aircraft (BPA) “Skat” (”the Scate”), engineered by Russian Aircraft Corporation “MiG” and intended for striking air defense assets, mobile ground and naval targets.

The fully-automatic aircraft can fly at a speed of more than 800 kilometers per hour with a range of 4 thousand

kilometers. In the arsenal of that pilotless aircraft there are two air-to-surface and air-to-radar station missiles.

BPA is also able to apply two adjusted air bombs of 250 and 500 kilograms calibers. Other novelties of aeronautic engineering were presented neither from Russian side, nor

from the foreign companies.

However, all the same it was extremely interesting for ordinary visitors to look at Russian fighters ?iG-35, Su-35, and ?iG-29K/FulcrumD, American fighters F-15 and F-16, strategic bomber B-52, French “Mirage” and also to watch flight maneuvers of “Russian Heroes”, “Swifts” and Frenchmen from Patrole de France.

For specialists whom there were more than 150 thousand for the first three days it was important to understand, that their colleagues and competitors had reached for the last two years.

And in this relation the real sensation was the exposure of China which presented at “MAX” the whole range of aeronautic and space engineering. These were passenger and military airplanes, spaceships, carrier rockets, BPA, systems of air and ground electronic reconnaissance, and also antisatellite defense.

Russia didn’t present anything new and extraordinary, except “Skat”, there even were no mockup of Russian super airplane Sukhoi SuperJet-100 which is being discussed for a long time.

This can be explained by the fact that the optimal model of this aircraft is not chosen yet. Development engineers suggest 95-seater version, but airlines, “Aeroflot” in particular, want to get an airl iner for 110 or 130 passengers.

To obtain it, the airplane needs to be lengthened, it is necessary to make two insertions in a fuselage, to strengthen wings and center wing section, and then, naturally, to carry out necessary flight tests and certification. However, it is quite possible, that “taking care” of Russian aircraft American Boeing, that didn’t invest a kopeck

into this project, can in this case revive the prohibition of producing by company Sukhoi of airplanes with capacity of more than 110 persons. It will be recalled that earlier for the “consultation services” rendered to the Russian firm Boeing demanded that it would not produce airplanes with the capacity of more than 110 places because in this case Russian airliner would be able to compete Boeing ?-717-300X, which is also designed for 130 places.

Note should be taken about arrangement of the show. Mad from heat and standing in kilometers-long jams visitors went to it, as to the storm of enemy fortress.

Many of them, excited with the burning sun and the overdrinking of beer, plunged into dissipation. One of the most anxious “fans of aircraft” made off with a model of an airplane at the cost of dozens thousand dollars. However, he didn’t manage to go far with such valuable souvenir: the thief was detained by officers keeping order at “MAX”.

Russia became the leader on supplies of weapon

in the first five years of new century, reference to information of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

According to data of SIPRI, on Russia falls 31% from the general volume of weapon supplies for export in 2001-2005.

On the second place is the USA, having taken 30% of the market.

Russia‘ s leader

ship is explained by large-scale supplies in relation to cheap weapon armament.

The USA keeps the leadership at cost of the sold weapon.

So, according to data of Congress analytical service, in 2006 the USA has sold weapon in sum of $10,3 billions. Russia according to this index has taken the second place with the volume of supplies of $8,1 billions, Great Britain has closed a group of three leaders with $3,1 billions. In total three leading producers take almost 75% of world weapon market.

The main partners of Russia in 2001-2005 were India and China, on which fell 25% and 43% of supplies accordingly.

As experts of SIPRI consider, these countries still remain the largest buyers

of military technique of Russian production.

SIPRI is the largest research organization, studying the world market of weapon and regularly presenting independent expert estimations.