Article Posted on : - Apr 12, 2013

An unrelated photo of a Russian strategic bomber.

MOSCOW (BNS): Development of the Russian strategic bomber PAK-DA will now move ahead with the formal approval of the conceptual design and specification, Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev has said.

"The development of the aircraft is going as planned. The outline of its design and characteristics has been approved and all relevant documents have been signed allowing the industry to start the development of systems for this plane," Ria Novosti quoted Bondarev as saying.

The PAK-DA, which means future long-range aircraft, has been in the works for several years but official approval was given only last year, the report said.

The new bomber will be equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems and armed with new nuclear-capable long-range cruise missiles.

According to defence ministry officials, the PAK-DA is expected to go into production by 2020 and will be built at a new aircraft assembly line at Russia's Kazan plant (KAPO).

The Russian Air Force is currently using three types of bombers - the Tu-22M3 long-range supersonic bomber, the Tu-95 heavy bomber and the Tu-160 supersonic heavy bomber.