Russia begins building first stealth bomber

MOSCOW: Russia has begun manufacturing the prototype of its first strategic stealth bomber, state news agency TASS reported on Tuesday, as the country presses ahead with the modernisation of its military. Quoting defence industry sources, TASS said the state-controlled United Aircraft Corporation was overseeing the project. It said material was being shipped for the project and that work had begun on the cockpit of the bomber, known as the PAK DA. “The final assembly of the entire machine should be complete in 2021,” one of the sources told TASS. Stealth bombers are designed to evade radar detection while carrying large amounts of weaponry. Russian officials have revealed few details of the project, though last year Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said aircraft maker Tupolev — which is part of United Aircraft Corporation — was in charge.