Full-rate production of the Russian Air Force’s new Su-34 fighter-bomber is underway at the Sukhoi production facility in Siberia, a company spokesman said this week, reports the Russian News & Information Agency. The facility will be able to crank out 20 aircraft simultaneously. The two-seat Su-34 Fullback is slated to replace the Su-24 Fencer, which Sukhoi has been upgrading to extend the service life. RIA reports that Russia plans to field 58 Fullbacks by 2015.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.

