New update on Russia's next generation bomber

Russia last week rolled out a $650 billion defense spending plan that includes funds for 600 combat aircraft, 1,000 helicopters and the S-500 surface to air missile system, according to local reports. The budget roll-out also gave the Russian press an excuse to ask Vladimir Popovkin, a deputy defense minister and head of armaments, about Moscow's next-generation bomber program. Since 2009, Tupolev has been working on a military contract called PAK-DA to develop a stealthy successor for the Tu-160 and Tu-95. Popovkin confirmed the project is moving forward, but it will not be "forced", as upgrades to the legacy bombers will sustain the fleet through 2020, Artem Saker reports at Ytpo.ru. Saker also quotes media sources suggesting the PAK-DA could be unmanned -- if Russia can deploy a network of communication satellites, that is.