Moscow now says it will purchase 58 Su-34 fighter-bombers by 2015 and may receive its first new Tu-160 strategic bomber by the end of this year, according to the Russian News & Information Agency. The Su-34 is slated to replace the Su-24.
Aircraft readiness will suffer if Congress does not approve some $1.5 billion worth of spare parts the Air Force requested in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, sent to Capitol Hill last week, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said.