Russia resumes flights over Oceans: Air Force Commander

Moscow, Jan 4 (UNI) Air Force Commander-in-Chief General Vladimir Mikhailov today said Russian strategic aviation last year resumed active flights over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

''In 2006 strategic aviation flew over 100 missions, strategic bombers resumed active flights to areas above the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans,'' General Mikhailov told Interfax news agency.

Stressing an increase in the combat readiness of strategic bombers, he said, ''We have even more than enough combat ready aircraft''.

''The Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber has been upgraded. Tupolev Tu-95 bombers are being upgraded to carry the latest weaponry and tested,'' General Mikhailov said.

The skills of the flight personnel, especially among young pilots had improved, he said, adding, ''In 2006, we trained 42 crew captains for Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers. They are young pilots''.

Russian Air Force will soon receive a new-generation surveillance radar system capable of effectively detecting targets in the mountains, head of the Air Force's radio-technical troops, Major-General Anatoly Boyarintsev said.

Russian enterprises are at the final phase of developing the hardware, designed to apply to a new radar-surveillance technology for the observation of area objects, including mountainous terrain, Mr Boyarintsev said, adding, ''A gorge could be covered in full by a single radar''.

UNI