MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator...

The capabilities of the early warning system have grown considerably over the past few years, with several new-generation radar units built to replace both obsolete systems and the radar units lost as a result of the Soviet Union"s dissolution.

Although they shrank dramatically in the post-Soviet period, Russia"s Air Force and Air Defense Force are still the third most powerful in the world, after the U.S. Air Force and the combined NATO forces.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author"s and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.