30.09 Russia, US Neck and Neck in Hypersonic Research � Rogozin

MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) � Russia and the United States are running neck and neck in their research of hypersonic military technologies, Russia's deputy PM in charge of the defense industry said on Monday.

�Both we and the Americans conduct researches about hypersonic technologies, or speed that is more than six times above the speed of sound. This is not a secret, but everything else is. I can tell you that we are running neck and neck with the Americans as far as these technologies are concerned,� Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

He added that Russia is the world�s second weapons exporter after the United States and vowed that Russian defense enterprises would increase the quality of their products while keeping prices at an acceptable level.

Commenting on the recent nuclear submarine fire at a shipyard in Russia�s Far East, Rogozin said that snap inspections will be held at all Russian industrial facilities under his supervision to see how the management follows work and fire safety instructions.

�Yesterday I signed a decree to start unscheduled inspections and trainings of various aspects, such as work safety and fire safety, in all our integrated organizations and corporations � in the aviation, shipbuilding, space and nuclear [sectors],� he said.