Russia to upgrade its aging military arsenal, build new bomber

Putin said in a television report that work on the bomber must follow the development of a prospective stealth fighter, which made its first flight in January.

"We won't limit ourselves to just one new model," Putin said at a government meeting on military aviation. "We must start work on a prospective long-range aircraft, our new strategic bomber."

As for military modernization efforts, the Russian premier said that the development of new aircraft engines, materials for aircraft construction and electronics will be the top priorities.

The chief of the Russian long-range aviation, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, said earlier that a new aircraft should replace the Soviet-built Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers and will join the air force in 2025-2030.

According to sources, the new Russian strategic bomber might copy the design of the U.S. B-2 bomber.

The prime minister said the fighter's serial production is set to begin in 2015.  The aircraft will have to go through about 2,000 test flights before that.