Russia is offering to lease both China and India up to three A50 Airborne Early Warning aircraft. India wants the planes to manage any future air battle with Pakistan, as this might include nuclear-armed bombers. China wants aircraft to monitor the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese have sent crews to Russia to train on the A50, and reportedly wants to use them until it receives its new Israeli-built Phalcon radar planes. If the US succeeds in blocking the Israeli sale, the Chinese would make do with the inferior Russian designs.--Stephen V Cole