Russian President Vladimir Putin late last week put his nation’s nuclear-equipped bombers back on regular combat patrols, something the country hasn’t done since the early 1990s. Various news reports indicated that the Bush Administration does not consider this move worrying, despite recent cooling of relations between Moscow and Washington. And, Putin in his announcement expects “understanding” from other countries. He noted, too, that Russia’s strategic crews had been grounded too long. The bombers, which may or may not fly with nuclear weapons, are expected to fly over Russian sea routes and economic zones.
Northrop Grumman test fired its newest solid rocket motor Dec. 4, part of an internally funded effort to rapidly design and build SRMs using advanced manufacturing techniques.
