China-Russia war games 'not linked to India missile'

China-Russia war games 'not linked to India missile'

China has said that upcoming joint war games between China and Russia are not organised in response to India's successful ballistic missile launch and are instead aimed at upholding regional peace.

According to China's defence ministry, the two neighbours will hold joint naval exercises in the Yellow Sea off the coast of the eastern port city of Qingdao from April 22-27.

India on Thursday successfully test fired a new missile capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in rival China, marking a major advance in its defence capabilities.

India views the rocket, which has a range of 5,000 kilometres, as a key boost to its regional power aspirations and one that narrows -- albeit slightly -- the huge gap with China's technologically advanced missile systems.

"This joint military exercise is a long scheduled one between China and Russia in order to uphold regional peace and stability," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters on Thursday.

"This is not linked (to the Indian missile test)," he said.

Beijing and Moscow agreed to hold the joint exercises during a visit to Russia last year by Chen Bingde, chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army.

"The joint exercises will strengthen the naval forces' ability to jointly confront new regional threats and demonstrate their confidence to maintain peace and stability in the region and world," Chen said in a statement on the defence ministry website.

The drills will focus on joint maritime defence and protection of navigation and will involve 16 Chinese ships and two submarines and four vessels from Russia's Pacific Fleet, as well as Russian war planes and naval infantry, the statement said.

Russia's Su-35 fighter on display at FIDAE-2012

Russia's Su-35 fighter on display at FIDAE-2012

Russia’s Su-35 supermaneuverable multirole fighter and Superjet 100 passenger plane will be on display at the 2012 FIDAE International Air and Space Fair which kicks off in the Chilean capital, Santiago on Tuesday.

The Russian stand also includes several samples of sophisticated missile weapon.

Taking part in the FIDAE event are 500 companies from 40 countries.

Russia confirms 30-unit order for Su-30SM fighters

Russia confirms 30-unit order for Su-30SM fighters

Irkut has received a production order to supply the Russian air force with 30 Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters, with the contract having been signed by Russian defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov.

A twin-seat derivative of the Su-30MKI already flown by the Indian air force, the SM includes new features such as identification friend-or-foe equipment.

Intended to replace some of Russia's ageing Su-24 bombers, the type is to provide support for the navy's Black Sea fleet, using its 800nm (1,500km) combat range.

The Su-30SM can carry a maximum weapons load totalling 8t, with the Russian navy planning to arm it with the NPO Mashinostroyenia Yakhont anti-ship missile, which has a maximum range of 162nm.

Aircraft deliveries are expected to take place between 2013 and 2015, according to Irkut. Company president Alexey Fedorov suggested last year that the Russian air force could buy 28 of the fighters, with an option for 12 more.

The Su-30SM order follows two other major contracts signed in late February, which cover the future delivery of 92 Su-34 bombers and 24 RAC MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters for the Russian air force and navy, respectively.

Sukhoi promotes the Su-35 fighter to the Latin American market

Sukhoi promotes the Su-35 fighter to the Latin American market

Moscow, March 23. The Sukhoi Company will show off its multipurpose Su-35 fighter of the 4++ generation at the upcoming on March 27 17th International Aerospace Exhibition FIDAE-2012 in Santiago, Chile.

A model airplane will be presented on the stand of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which includes the Sukhoi holding company. Visitors to the exhibition and experts will be able to look at its performance characteristics, and the military — to discuss with Sukhoi’s representatives possible aircraft deliveries to the armed forces in the region.

Sukhoi is currently negotiating with foreign customers seeking to re-equip their Air Force. It plans to export Su-35 aircraft to countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America. If new contracts are signed, Russia will be able to maintain its high competitiveness on the fighter jets world market until the 5^th generation fighter aircraft enters the market in2016-2025.

The serial production of the Su-35S is going on at the Sukhoi’s Y.A.Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KNAAPO) in accordance with the state contract signed in 2009 to deliver 48 aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defence by the year 2015.

At present, the Joint State Tests (JST) of the airplane are going on. In March this year the fourth production Su-35S was delivered to the JST. The Su-35-1 and 2 carried out preliminary flight tests, during which the main established flight and technical characteristics of the on-board equipment and super maneuverability features were fully confirmed, stability and controllability characteristics, the characteristics of the power plant and the work of the navigation system were tested.

The plane reached the maximum ground-level speed of 1,400 km/h, speed at altitude — 2400 km/h, the ceiling — 18 thousand meters. The detection range of targets in the “air-to-air” mode is over 400 km. This is significantly higher than that of the combat aircraft currently in service. The onboard OLS (optical locator station) can detect and track multiple targets at ranges exceeding 80 km. More than 400 flights were made as part of flight testing on the fighters. The aircraft complex is ready to undergo tests for combat use.

The analysis of the amount of work already done allows a conclusion that Su-35/Su-35S has a much better flight characteristics compared to analogue aircraft in service. The airborne equipment of the plane allows solving a wider range of tasks set by tactical and technical requirements.

The potential characteristics incorporated in the aircraft will allow it to exceed all tactical fighters of the 4^th and 4 + generations, such as “Rafale” and EF 2000, modernized fighters like the F-15, F-16, F-18, F-35 and to counter the F-22A fighter.

The UAC products are presented at the air show in Chile by military and civilian aircraft, manufactured by enterprises of the corporation. In addition to the Su-35 the UAC stand will also host the Yak-130, Sukhoi Superjet 100 and MC-21 aircraft models.

Sukhoi deliveres 4th production Su-35S

Sukhoi deliveres 4th production Su-35S

Sukhoi delivered the Su-35S-4 for the State Joint Tests. The plane flew from  Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the V.P.Chkalov State Flight Test Centre of the Ministry  of Defence. The serial production of the Su-35S is going on at the Sukhoi’s Y.A.Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KNAAPO) in accordance with  the state contract signed in 2009 to deliver 48 aircraft to the Russian Ministry  of Defence by the year 2015. 

China is not interested in acquisition of Su-35 fighters

China is not interested in acquisition of Su-35 fighters

The reports of Russian mass media about probable acquisition of 48 Su-35s by China are incorrect, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Chinese Ministry of Defense.

"The reports saying that Russia and China have reached the agreement on acquisition of 48 Su-35s are incorrect", - said in the Ministry’s statement.

At that, the PRC’s Ministry of Defense has expressed appreciation of military-technical cooperation between the two countries, noting that “military-technical cooperation between Russia and China is the important part of strategic partnership between the countries. It is constantly developing and it yields the results".

The strategic partnership between Russia and China is developing sustainably; the parties cooperate in different areas and achieve good results, noted in the statement.

We remind you that Kommersant has reported on Tuesday with reference to a source in Russian military-industrial complex that Russia and China are close to signing the contract on delivery of 48 Su-35s with a total value of $4 billion.

Russia working on quiet supersonic business jet

Russia working on quiet supersonic business jet

A major Russian aeronautical research agency has launched preliminary design work for a quiet supersonic business jet that could fly over populated areas.

The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) will develop the preliminary design in partnership with several Russian companies, including aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and engine maker NPO Saturn, TsAGI says.

An official conceptual image of the aircraft shows it with a long, pointed nose and as many as four engines mounted on top of the aft fuselage. The aircraft also features twin vertical tails and long, thin wings.

The goal of the project is to establish Russia's aeronautics industry as a technology leader in a potential new market for business aviation, TsAGI says.

Sergei Lyapunov, deputy director general of TsAGI, says the broad spectrum of industry and research organisations involved in the project is unprecedented in Russian aeronautics.

TsAGI says a preliminary assessment suggests the supersonic aircraft should generate the same noise level as future subsonic aircraft for the civil market. In addition to completing the design, the research team will also assess the "promising domestic engines" that could power the new aircraft.

The concept of a Russian supersonic business jet has been on the drawing board for decades. In the early 1990s, Sukhoi partnered Gulfstream to develop a design of the S-21. Sukhoi continues to list a "supersonic business jet" on its website as an ongoing project, without elaborating further. Tupolev has also proposed the Tu-444 supersonic business jet, advertising 4h flight times between Moscow and New York.

Moscow approves deal for 92 Su-34 bombers

Moscow approves deal for 92 Su-34 bombers

Russia's defence ministry signed a deal for 92 Sukhoi Su-34 "Fullback" strike aircraft on 1 March, marking the biggest deal for a single aircraft type for the nation's air force in more than 20 years.

To cover deliveries until 2020, the deal was signed by defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Sukhoi general director Igor Ozar. The Su-34s will replace all the Su-24 bombers in service, Serdyukov said. A source quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency put the value of the deal at around 100 billion roubles ($3 billion).

The defence ministry had previously said 70 Su-34s would be delivered by 2015. Six aircraft are in service at Russia's test and evaluation centre at Lipetsk, with a further 10 due to be delivered this year.

The Russian air force will eventually field a total of about 120 Su-34s in five squadrons of 24 aircraft each, its commander Col Gen Alexander Zelin said at last year's MAKS air show near Moscow.

Powered by two AL-31MF turbofan engines, the twin-seat Su-34 is designed to conduct precision strikes on heavily defended targets under all weather conditions, day or night. It is armed with a GSh-301 30mm cannon and a wide variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and bombs.

Noting that the Su-34 is entering service more than a decade behind original plans, Douglas Barrie, an air warfare analyst with the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said: "The Su-34 will, with the appropriate avionic and weapons systems, provide the air force with a capable long-range strike platform, with considerably more punch than the Su-24."

The defence ministry has said the air force will procure more than 1,500 new aircraft by 2020. Moscow's Su-34 order was signed only two days after the Russian navy confirmed an order for 24 RAC MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters.

Russian navy signs for MiG-29K fighters

Russian navy signs for MiG-29K fighters

Russia has signed a contract to acquire 20 MiG-29K carrier-based fighters and four MiG-29KUB trainers. MiG confirmed on 29 February that defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov and MiG general director Sergei Korotkov had signed the contract. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Deliveries will be made between 2013 and 2015, with the aircraft to be operated from the Russian navy's lone carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, serving with its Northern Fleet based in Murmansk. The vessel currently operates Sukhoi Su-33 naval fighters.

"The signature of this contract is a real step in fulfilling our programme for rearming the forces. The naval air forces will get a modern combat aircraft - as good as any in the world," Serdyukov said.

The contract will guarantee MiG a steady level of work in the medium term, Korotkov added.

The MiG-29K is a navalised variant of the MiG-29M land-based fighter, with folding wings, an arrestor tail-hook, strengthened airframe, Zhuk-ME multimode radar and multi-role capability. It can be armed with a wide variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, including Kh-31 anti-ship missiles.

India's navy is the only export customer for the type, which will be flown from a refitted Russian-built carrier expected to be delivered at the end of this year.

The Russian navy experimented with a navalised MiG-29 prototype in the 1980s onboard the Admiral Kuznetsov, but opted for the Su-33 instead.

It is not known if the navy will continue to operate the Su-33 alongside the MiG-29K.

Russia will deliver Su-35 fighters and “Triumph” air defense systems to China

Russia will deliver Su-35 fighters and “Triumph” air defense systems to China

China hopes to acquire new Russian S-400 Triumph air defense system by 2015, but only the question of delivery of Su-35 fighters to this country is being discussed at the moment, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.

"The Chinese party has shown interest in acquisition of a number of Su-35 jets and submitted a proposal to us in 2011. At present this problem is being elaborated by the designated institution of Russia", - said the First Deputy Director General of Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation, Alexander Fomin.

Speaking of prospects of air defense systems deliveries to China, Fomin has reminded that during a period from 1993 to 2010 a large number of Russian air defense missile systems, including S-300PMU2 “Favorit”, have been delivered to China.

"As for further cooperation with China in the area of air defense, at present the Chinese partners are showing interest in acquisition of next-generation S-400 Triumph air defense systems. They want to acquire the first batch in 2015", - Fomin said.


According to Fomin, the prospects of deliveries of S-400 Triumph air defense systems to China may be defined in proportion to deliveries of these systems to the Russian armed forces.

"At present the construction of additional capacities for production of S-400 Triumph air defense systems is being carried out. China has not shown interest in acquisition of other Russian air defense systems yet", - Fomin said.

'Indo-Russian fighter jet better than Chinese, US aircraft'

'Indo-Russian fighter jet better than Chinese, US aircraft'

The Indo-Russian fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) is superior than the similar Chinese and American rival fighter jets which include the J 20 Black Eagle and the F-22 Raptor, a top Russian military commander has claimed.

India and Russia are jointly developing the Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA FGFA for their respective air forces and have plans of producing over 400 of these highly-advanced fighter jets.

Commander of the Russian Air Force Colonel General Alexander Zelin told Russian news agency RIA Novosti that his country's government has decided to give top priority to the development of the joint venture aircraft.

"While comparing Russia's T-50 PAK FA with the US F-22 Raptor and China's Chengdu J-20 Black Eagle, one concludes that the T-50 is superior to its foreign analogues in terms of its maximum speed in afterburner and standard modes, maximum range and thrust-to-weight ratio," he said.

The Russian Air Force Commander said that despite the comparable dimensions and weight of the Chinese J20 Black Eagle and the F-22 raptor, "the T-50 has much shorter take-off and landing runs. Moreover, its on-board equipment has better specifications than its foreign equivalents."

India signed a preliminary design contract with Russia recently for the aircraft and is planning to induct around 250 of them starting from 2017.

Commenting on the flight tests schedule of the FGFA, Zelin said, "Tests are now taking place as planned in line with specific decisions.Over 100 flights have been performed and all the specifications obtained during the tests confirm T-50 project requirements."

"The tests involve three fixed-wing aircraft, and three more aircraft will arrive in the near future. All in all, the tests will involve 14 aircraft," he added. 

Russia to Modernize All Military Airfields by 2020

Russia to Modernize All Military Airfields by 2020

All of Russia’s military airfields will be upgraded and modernized by 2020, Defense Ministry spokesman Col Vladimir Drik said on Thursday.

That includes airbases, flight test and training centers, army aviation sites, and other facilities, he said.

This year construction of new runways and command and control structures will begin at military airports in the Krasnodar territory, and the Saratov, Astrakhan, and Kaliningrad regions.

Gen Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said in November the Defense Ministry had a total of 356 aerodromes.

Sukhoi tests new fighter

Sukhoi tests new fighter

Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi has flight tested its Serial Three Su-35S Flanker-E multipurpose jet fighter for the first time.

During the test Tuesday, which lasted more than two hours, the aircraft's propulsion and control  systemwere put through their paces and "proved to be flawless," the company said.

Additional details on the initial flight test have not been disclosed.

The Su-35S is based on the earlier Su-27 but with an improved airframe, two central digital computers, advanced avionics and new radar with phased array antennas.

The closest competitor aircraft to the Su-27, which was introduced into service in 1988, is the U.S. F-15 Eagle.

With increased fuel capacity, the range of the Su-35S is more than 2,200 miles.

The maximum speed at altitude is about 1,400 mph. Its ceiling is 59,000 feet.

Sukhoi said the Su-35S can detect aircraft out to a range of nearly 250 miles, farther than that of other combat aircraft.

The Generation 4++ fighter's radar can reportedly track simultaneously 30 aerial targets and engage eight as well as track four ground targets and engage two.

Weaponry carried by the Su-35 include a 30mm cannon, laser-guided and unguided bombs, anti-radar missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and missiles for use against maritime targets.

With reduced protruding sensors and application to the fuselage of special coatings, the Flanker-E has a reduced radar signature.

The first two Su-35S planes (Serial One and Serial Two) were delivered to a Russian government testing center in August and have already performed more than 400 test flights.

The testing has involved propulsion, aircraft maneuverability, stability and control, as well as functioning of the aircraft navigation system.

Sukhoi projects the service life of the aircraft as 6,000 flight hours and a planned operational life of 30 years.

Potential export customers of the SU-35 aircraft are said to include China, India, Malaysia, Brazil and Indonesia.

Russian media: United States next year will replace Russia as India’s largest source of weapons

Russian media: United States next year will replace Russia as India’s largest source of weapons

According to the Russian world arms trade center site on 20 January reported that Russia will continue to be India’s first year major source of arms for the country. It is estimated that Russia and India in 2012 on weapons and military equipment exports will total about $ 7.7 billion, is expected to account for the total amount of Russian arms exports to over 60% of India’s arms imports accounted for about 80%. However, from 2013, Russia and India as the largest source of arms for the country’s position will be replaced by the United States. 

Russian World Weapons Analysis Center released U.S. report shows that Russian-Indian military-technical cooperation in the field this year will implement a number of major trading scheme. It should be noted that a considerable part of the transaction which is based on a previous contract implementation. Among them, one of the highest value end of the year was undoubtedly the Russian deliveries to the Indian Navy, “Admiral Gorshkov” aircraft carrier. For modernization of the cost of the ship has been changed several times and eventually freeze-frame 23.4 billion. The second major deal between Russia and India for the delivery of two 1135.6 frigate, with a total value of about $ 1 billion. Russia ranked third in the transaction in January this year for the Indian Navy to lease a 971-type submarines. According to the latest news, the amount of the transaction will involve up to $ 920 million. 

Russia and India according to finalize the delivery schedule, Russia will be delivered to India in 2012, more 40 m-17V-5 type of military transport helicopters, 21 Su-30MKI (signed in 2000, according to contract to license the assembly), 12 Su-30MKI (according to the 2007 supply contracts signed) and nine carrier-based fighter aircraft MiG -29K/KUB. In addition, this year, Russia and India will continue serving on the Indian MiG-29 fighter jets, Figure -142 patrol aircraft, helicopters Mi-17 upgrade and maintenance of 877EM submarine contract. At the same time, Russia will provide card-31 shipborne helicopters, AL-55-and TRDD-50MT engine, “club-S” anti-ship missile systems, Mi-17 helicopter training simulator, the assembly authorized the Indian T-90S a series of main battle tanks and other contracts. 

be noted that, with a number of major sales contracts, the United States from 2013 to replace Russia as India’s largest source of arms for the country. The United States plans to provide arms and equipment to India, including P-8I anti-submarine patrol aircraft, C-17A large military transport aircraft, AH-64D “Longbow” helicopters. The correlation between the US-India arms contract will be implemented between 2013-2015. 

It is estimated that the United States to India in 2013, the total value of arms exports will reach $ 3.06 billion (the amount of Russian arms sales to India over the same period is expected to be only $ 2.03 billion), $ 3.7 billion in 2014 (Russian side of 22.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2015 to $ 2.47 billion ($ 1.95 billion Russian). However, generally will be, taking into account Russia’s 2012 arms sales to India’s huge, Russia in 2012-2016, India will remain among the most important arms supplier, the arms trade between the two countries will total $ 15.6 billion. 

According to statistics, in 2002-2011, the Russian arms exports to India amounted to $ 14,780,000,000. During the same period, the United States is the only weapon in India’s fourth largest source country (16.6 million). In addition to Russian-US two countries, Israel, India, another major source of arms for the country. In the 2002-2011 years, the Indian arms exports to $ 3.7 billion, the latter is the fourth largest arms supplier. In between 2012-2016, to arms exports to India will reach $ 2.62 billion. 

Russian navy props up battered Syrian regime

Russian navy props up battered Syrian regime

Russia's only operational aircraft carrier and other warships are visiting the Syrian port of Tartous in an apparent display of support for beleaguered President Bashar al-Assad.

The high-profile Russian move will provide the increasingly isolated Assad with a psychological boost as he battles to save his dictatorial regime from a surprisingly stubborn 10-month-old popular uprising.

But the visit, which Russian officials insist had been planned for months and is not linked to the Syrian crisis, came amid signs the uprising was sliding into a sectarian civil war that could have serious repercussions across the Middle East.

The more militant of the opposition forces arrayed against Assad's regime have stepped up calls for United Nations, NATO or other foreign military intervention to prevent a bloodbath on an epic scale.

The arrival in Tartous of the Russian flotilla Sunday followed the recent deployment of the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the eastern Mediterranean off the Syrian coast.

The Obama administration has denounced the bloodletting in Syria, Iran's key Arab ally, and Assad's brutal use of his security forces.

Washington and its allies want to pry Syria away from the Iranians and sever Tehran's logistic links via Syria with Hezbollah, Iran's powerful proxy in the Levant.

Despite strong Western criticism, Russia has stood by its former Cold War ally in the face of mounting international condemnation of the Syrian regime for unleashing its security forces to crush the relentless anti-government protests.

By U.N. count, at least 5,000 people have been killed since March 15, 2011. Assad claims the uprising is a "foreign conspiracy."

There was no evidence of that in the revolt's initial stages, but that's unlikely to be the case now as world opinion, and Arab opinion particularly, has turned solidly against the hard-line Damascus regime.

Turkey, Syria's northern neighbor, in particular has been aiding Syrian army defectors who have formed the Syrian Free Army.

There are increasing signs that Syria's opponents are funneling arms into the country for Assad's opponents. Qatar is reported to have recruited 2,000 Arab mercenaries to aid the Syrian opposition.

This is causing deep concern in Lebanon, long under Syria's thumb, where the regime has many allies, most notably the heavily armed Hezbollah.

With Assad, whose minority Alawite regime still retains the loyalty of its powerful security apparatus and key elements of the Russian-armed military, showing no sign of throwing in the towel, the crisis seems doomed to worsen.

In Assad's fourth public appearance since the uprising began, he declared during a speech before a handpicked audience of loyalists at Damascus University he will never stand down.

Claiming he has "the support of the people," he vowed, "We will declare victory soon."

The Russian flotilla's arrival in Tartous for a six-day visit was widely seen as a message from Moscow to the West: Do not interfere the way you did in Libya through NATO to bring about the fall of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, a former Soviet ally.

Moscow's Izvestia newspaper quoted Adm. Viktor Kravchenko, Russia's former Chief of Naval Staff, as saying the flotilla's presence in the eastern Mediterranean "will prevent the outbreak of an armed conflict."

The Russian ships were led by the 43,000-ton carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which carries a score of Sukhoi Su-33 and MiG-29K fighters and two Ka-27 anti-submarine helicopters.

The developments in Syria are linked to the confrontation in the Persian Gulf between Iran and the United States, backed by its Arab allies in the oil-rich region.

So what transpires in Syria could have a significant impact on what happens in the gulf, particularly in terms of Tehran's ability to cause turmoil in the region.

Iran has threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil supplies pass every day, if the United States and Europe tighten sanctions imposed in June 2010 by throttling Iran's vital oil exports.

Shutting the oil artery, even for a week or two, would send oil prices soaring -- some analysts predict as high as $250 a barrel -- and cause global economic distress.

In Syria, the Arab League has boosted the number of observers it deployed in December, with Damascus' grudging approval, to 165.

But that's far too few to effectively keep tabs on the regime's actions as the uprising turns increasingly violent. More bloodshed seems inevitable.

Russian satellite fails to reach planned orbit, crashes in Siberia

Russian satellite fails to reach planned orbit, crashes in Siberia

 A Russian satellite Friday crashed into Siberia minutes after its launch due to rocket failure, the defence ministry said.

The failure of the Soyuz-2.1B rocket -- a member of the same family that Russia uses to send humans to space -- comes after a supply ship bound for the International Space Station (ISS) carried by a Soyuz crashed into Siberia in August.

"The satellite failed to go into its orbit. A state commission will investigate the causes of the accident," the spokesman of Russia's space forces Alexei Zolotukhin told the Interfax news agency.

He said the problem occurred around seven minutes after the launch of the Meridian communications satellite on the Soyuz rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia due to a third stage rocket failure.

Russian news agencies, quoting defence sources, said that the satellite had crashed into the central Siberian region of Novosibirsk and its remains had already been found on the ground.

Workers from the Russian emergencies ministry as well as the police were on their way to the scene which had been cordoned off, Interfax said, but there were no reports of casualties or damage to property.

It was the fifth launch of a satellite from the Meridian series which have dual civilian and military use and are aimed at providing communications for ships in the Arctic as well as Russia's remote Siberia and Far East regions.

The Soyuz-2.1B rocket is part of the family of Soyuz rockets that has been the backbone of Moscow's space programme for decades and are used to launch humans for the International Space Station.

The satellite was supposed to have separated from the rocket about nine minutes after its launch, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

But the carrier rocket experienced undisclosed problems even before the separation attempt, meaning that it never reached the low Earth orbit, an unnamed source told the news agency.

The loss of the Meridian satellite caps a disastrous 12 months for Russia that has already seen it lose three navigation satellites, an advanced military satellite, a telecommunications satellite, a probe for Mars as well as the Progress.

The unmanned Progress supply ship that crashed into Siberia in August was launched by a Soyuz and that failure forced the temporary grounding of the rockets and well as a wholesale re-jig of the station's staffing of the ISS.

Following the retirement of the US shuttle in July, Russia is currently the only nation capable of transporting humans to the space station.

Russia test fires two Bulava missiles

Russia test fires two Bulava missiles

The Russian military has successfully test launched two intercontinental nuclear-capable missiles, the defence ministry said.

The Bulava missiles were fired from a submarine in the White Sea on Russia's northwest coast and the test "went as planned," Lieutenant Colonel Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

The missiles hit their targets on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean, he said.

The firing marks the fourth successful launch this year from the Yury Dolgoruky, which was built to carry the missile.

In all, 18 Bulava missile tests have been carried out since 2005 but only 11 of those were successful.

The latest Russian missile can travel at least 8,000 kilometres and is equipped to carry multiple warheads that can each maneuver to hit separate targets.

The Bulava, also known as the Mace or SS-NX-30, is meant to replace Soviet-era missiles that Russia is decommissioning with age and under agreements with the United States.

Russia ranked 2nd biggest global arms exporter – arms think tank

Russia ranked 2nd biggest global arms exporter – arms think tank

Russia became the world’s second largest arms exporter in 2011 after the United States, the head of the Moscow-based arms think tank Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT), Igor Korotchenko said on Friday.

The CAWAT ranking revealed that Russia occupied the second position for world arms sales in 2011 with $11.29 billion in revenues, which accounts for 16.1 percent of all international arms supplies, Korotchenko said. “The forecast for 2012 is $11.3 billion or 17.3 percent of global arms sales.”

The Unitied States, however, dominates world arms exports, with over 40 percent of trade globally, or $28.76 billion.

Korotchenko also said that Russia had scored high records on arms exports despite the fact that it had lost the Iranian market because of the arms embargos imposed on Tehran by Washington. Moscow also supported arms sanctions against Libya, suspending all contracts for the supply of military hardware to the country.

The top ten biggest arms suppliers include France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Israel, Spain, Sweden and China, according to the CAWAT ranking.

Russia exports weaponry to over 100 countries. 

Its main arms customers are India, Algeria, China, Venezuela, Malaysia and Syria. Vietnam also emerged as a key importer after it signed a deal to buy submarines, aircraft and other military hardware from Russia late last year.

Russia to provide additional 42 SU-30 MKI fighters to India

Russia to provide additional 42 SU-30 MKI fighters to India

Russia will provide an additional 42 Sukhoi frontline fighters to India under an agreement signed Friday, taking the bilateral defence cooperation to new heights.

With this pact, the total number of acquired or contracted aircraft by India in various stages of manufacture of the frontline SU-30 MKI fighters increases to 272.

The agreement for the upgraded Sukhois was signed by Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and Russian Federal Service for Military-technical Cooperation Director M A Dmitriev in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Dmitry Medvedev after their talks at the 12th annual Indo-Russian Summit at the Kremlin.

The pact, which was among the five agreements initialled between the two countries, came against the backdrop of a crash of an Indian Air Force's Sukhoi-30 near Pune.

The mishap, in which the two pilots ejected safely, raised some technical questions and also led to the grounding of the entire fleet of 120 planes pending investigations.

An Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) and a general contract were signed in 2000 for the manufacture of 140 Su-30 MKI aircraft by HAL. A 2007 protocol envisaged manufacture of a further 40 aircraft.

Earlier, 50 Su-30 aircraft were purchased in phases prior to the signing of the IGA and the deliveries started in the late 90s.

The new version is expected to include a new cockpit, an upgraded radar and certain stealth features to avoid radar detection.

Significantly, the upgraded Sukhoi-30 MKIs will be able to carry a heavier weapons load, especially the airborne version of the BRAHMOS cruise missile. India is also looking to upgrade most of its SU-30 MKIs in the long run.

The first delivery of the upgraded Sukhois is expected in 2014 and the last by 2018.

According to present projections, India plans to phase out 120 MiG 21s by 2017 and with the MMRCA still not a done deal, the SU-30 MKI fleet will be the mainstay.

At their joint press conference, Medvedev said Indo-Russian Military-Technical Cooperation has reached "unprecedented levels" while Prime Minister Singh said this has reached 'qualitatively new levels."