An roundtable of experts on Russia's Air Force and ABM systems is slated for May 16, 2012, at the Voice of Russia radio station.

It will tackle the implementation of the State Arms Program and try to get an up-close look at the developments in military aviation of the industry's world leaders.

Renewed cash inflows into the State Arms Program and cutting-edge military technologies have made the prospect of revamping the Russian Air Force and Air Defense much more promising.

Under the 2011-2020 program, the Russian Air Force is to procure about 600 brand-new planes and over 1,000 helicopters of all kinds, which will substitute the obsolete air fleet by some 70 per cent.

A similar modernization plan has been laid down for the Air Defense troops.

State-of-the-art equipment is already joining the Russian Air Force, including Su-34 bombers, Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, Ka-52 and Mi-28 choppers, as well as S-400 and S-300V4 anti-aircraft missile systems.

Fifth-generation T-50 fighter jets are to enter the country's air fleet over this decade.

In 2012, the Russian Air Force is marking its centennial anniversary. The origins of this holiday date back to August 1912, when the Russia's newly-established Air Force General Staff took the lead over the country's aviation and aeronautics industry.

Further information will be published on the Voice of Russia website.

Voice of Russia