MOSCOW - Russian officials have revealed a few details about Moscow's $640 billion effort to bring 80 percent of the military's arsenal up to modern standards by 2020.
The defense ministry will buy about 600 airplanes and more than 1,000 helicopters, Vladimir Popovkin, the first deputy defense minister in charge of arms procurement, told reporters Feb. 24. About 100 helicopters will be purchased this year, Popovkin said.
The Navy should receive about 100 new vessels, including 35 corvettes, 15 frigates and 20 submarines. Of the submarines, eight should be of the nuclear Borei class, carrying Bulava multiwarhead naval intercontinental ballistic missiles that the ministry plans to commission later this year after additional tests.
The ministry will fund the development of a new liquid-fuel heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, to replace aging RS-18 Stilleto (SS-19 NATO codename) and RS-20 Satan (SS-18 NATO codename), Popovkin said. Such missiles can carry up to 10 warheads, he said, while solid fuel missiles, such as Topol, can carry maximum three warheads.
Russia will buy 10 batteries of the advanced S-500 anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense missiles, expected to be put in service in 2014, as well as 56 S-400 missile batteries.
Ten percent of the money, or about $64 billion, will be spent on developing new weaponry, Popovkin sai. This means nearly tripling annual spending on the research and design, he said.
The program envisages the procurement of two Mistral aircraft carriers, in addition to the two that Russia is buying from France, as well as Iveco light multirole vehicles from Italy. The military does not plan massive procurement of the foreign-made weapons, though small batches of drones, sniper guns and French-made Felin infantry combat suits will be bought by the Russian Armed Forces, Popovich said.
Seventy percent of the money under the program is supposed to be spent after 2015, he said.
The government will lend $24 billion to defense companies to help them prepare for bigger contracts after 2015.
The defense ministry will buy about 600 airplanes and more than 1,000 helicopters, Vladimir Popovkin, the first deputy defense minister in charge of arms procurement, told reporters Feb. 24. About 100 helicopters will be purchased this year, Popovkin said.
The Navy should receive about 100 new vessels, including 35 corvettes, 15 frigates and 20 submarines. Of the submarines, eight should be of the nuclear Borei class, carrying Bulava multiwarhead naval intercontinental ballistic missiles that the ministry plans to commission later this year after additional tests.
The ministry will fund the development of a new liquid-fuel heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, to replace aging RS-18 Stilleto (SS-19 NATO codename) and RS-20 Satan (SS-18 NATO codename), Popovkin said. Such missiles can carry up to 10 warheads, he said, while solid fuel missiles, such as Topol, can carry maximum three warheads.
Russia will buy 10 batteries of the advanced S-500 anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense missiles, expected to be put in service in 2014, as well as 56 S-400 missile batteries.
Ten percent of the money, or about $64 billion, will be spent on developing new weaponry, Popovkin sai. This means nearly tripling annual spending on the research and design, he said.
The program envisages the procurement of two Mistral aircraft carriers, in addition to the two that Russia is buying from France, as well as Iveco light multirole vehicles from Italy. The military does not plan massive procurement of the foreign-made weapons, though small batches of drones, sniper guns and French-made Felin infantry combat suits will be bought by the Russian Armed Forces, Popovich said.
Seventy percent of the money under the program is supposed to be spent after 2015, he said.
The government will lend $24 billion to defense companies to help them prepare for bigger contracts after 2015.
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