ST. PETERSBURG, June 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's first fifth-generation plane could make its maiden flight as early as in 2009, the defense minister said Wednesday.
"We should see the first fifth-generation plane in the air in 2009," Sergei Ivanov said following a meeting with defense industry officials in Russia's second largest city.
Ivanov said the state, including the Defense Ministry, was planning to invest in manufacturing planes, helicopters and aircraft engines.
General Vladimir Mikhailov, the commander of Russia's Air Force, said in March that a fifth-generation plane, development of which should be completed in 2007, would be virtually invisible to air-defense systems.
