diva href=”http://bp1.blogger.com/_RRbP6fpJWAc/Rs7sYVfUVcI/AAAAAAAAATw/cnz7ExCTGvQ/s1600-h/uav-skat-bg.jpg”img id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102275330686866882″ style=”margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;” alt=”" src=”http://bp1.blogger.com/_RRbP6fpJWAc/Rs7sYVfUVcI/AAAAAAAAATw/cnz7ExCTGvQ/s320/uav-skat-bg.jpg” border=”0″ //a Russia unveiled on Thursday the mock-up of a pilotless bomber plane that its constructors say will be even better than the famous US stealth fighter at evading enemy radars and anti-aircraft fire.br /NTV television showed a full-sized model of the bat-like plane known as Skat, which means “stingray,” at an airshow just outside Moscow — the first public glimpse of the project run by Russia’s MiG corporation.br /The aircraft has a flattened, swept-back profile reminiscent of the US air force’s stealth aircraft, with a bubble-like cockpit area, although the plane will not have a pilot, NTV reported.br /According to the report, the Skat’s constructors claim the stealth technology will make it even less vulnerable than the US version to radar detection.br /”Many firms are trying to work in this area, but few so far have achieved results. Today we have begun real work on building an assault craft,” the director of MiG’s Mikoyan design bureau, Vladimir Barkovsky, said on NTV television.br /RIA Novosti news agency quoted Barkovsky saying that the Skat will be able to attack land and sea targets, particularly enemy anti-aircraft sites, even if coming under heavy fire.br /It will weigh 10 tonnes, be able to carry up to two tonnes of ordnance and have a range of 4,000 kilometres (2,485 miles), RIA Novosti reported./divbr /diva href=”http://bp3.blogger.com/_RRbP6fpJWAc/Rs7tf1fUVdI/AAAAAAAAAT4/rG1RZkClf0E/s1600-h/img7375smjo3.jpg”img id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102276559047513554″ style=”margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;” alt=”" src=”http://bp3.blogger.com/_RRbP6fpJWAc/Rs7tf1fUVdI/AAAAAAAAAT4/rG1RZkClf0E/s320/img7375smjo3.jpg” border=”0″ //a/div

Russian bombers are flying more missions than normal near U.S. territory, including Alaska, demonstrating their long-range strike capability, U.S. and Canadian officials said Aug. 13.br /Russian aircraft carrying cruise missiles ran an aviation exercise near Alaska two weeks ago, according to Canadian Col. Andre Dupuis, an officer at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a U.S.-Canadian operation responsible for protecting both countries’ airspace.br /“They didn’t do it to practice alone. They’re making a point, doing it outside of their normal training cycle,” he told Reuters. “They maintain capability.”br /Russian bombers were also tracked last week flying a course toward Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific.br /Some analysts and defense officials say the flights likely reflect Moscow’s desire to display its military muscle to remind Washington of Russia’s capabilities and express dismay over U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Eastern Europe.br /One defense official called the Russian flights “a little bit of chest pounding, trying to let people know Russia’s back in the game.”br /“Over the last probably three months or so the Russians have been flying their bomber force maybe a little bit more than we’ve seen in the past, certainly they’re ranging farther than they have in the past,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command.br /“We’ve had a couple times where we’ve intercepted them out over international waters, near Alaska.”br /Relations between Washington and Moscow have been strained, partly by U.S. plans to put missile defense assets in former Soviet-allied territory.br /Since meeting with U.S. officials to discuss the missile shield plans earlier this year, Moscow has issued a series of statements about building its military power.br /In July, President Vladimir Putin told his top military and security officials that Russia needed to boost its armed forces and intelligence potential in the face of new security threats, including U.S. military plans in Europe.br /Russia’s navy chief has also said his country should have a permanent naval presence in the Mediterranean, mirroring the Soviet Union’s military ambitions.br /The head of long-range aviation in Russia’s air force last week described the bomber flight over Guam as a revival of the long-haul missions to U.S.-patrolled areas common during the Cold War.br /But Renuart downplayed concern about the increase in Russian military flights.br /“I think clearly there’s a political dynamic that’s occurring right now with Russia. They’re exercising I think some of their military capabilities coincident with some of the statements that have been made in the government,” he said.br /“But it’s not provocative in any way. They follow the international rules. They’ve been very professional in how they’ve flown the flights, so I don’t see anything reckless in it.”br /Renuart also said Russia’s military generally warns its U.S. counterparts in advance of training exercises.br /“A couple times, it’s been a bit of a surprise,” he said.

The Indian Navy is exploring collaboration between local and Israeli defense companies to develop unmanned combat helicopters, according to Defence Ministry sources here.br /Adm. Sureesh Mehta, chief of the Indian Navy, and Vice Adm. David Ben Bashat discussed the possible joint development and other defense programs Aug. 7 during Bashat’s visit here, the first official visit to India by an Israel Navy chief.br /The Indian Navy has projected a requirement for 30 to 50 unmanned combat helicopters.br /Indian-Israeli defense ties have been on the rise since 1999 and are generally shrouded in secrecy. Israel is working on a number of high-tech programs for the Indian military, including the co-production of nuclear-capable cruise missiles, air defense systems and anti-ballistic missile systems. The country is the largest supplier of UAVs for the Indian Defence Forces.br /India also is keen to lease an advanced dedicated military satellite from Israel, Navy sources here said. However, no details on the matter are available, and it is not known whether the matter was discussed during the Israel Navy chief’s visit.br /The Indian Navy has the Israeli Barak air defense system and is also developing an extended-range Barak along with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation.