OREANDA-NEWS. February 17, 2010. “The Armed Forces should be equipped with at least 30% modern weaponry by 2015 and at least 70% by 2020.”

Vladimir Putin's opening address:

Good evening, colleagues. Today we will discuss the key parameters of the state armaments programme through 2020, the 2011-2020 programme.

Actually, we will speak about the timeframe and the types of weapons we must supply to the Army and Navy. In accordance with the plan for the development and reform of the Armed Forces, the focus will be on the nuclear deterrence forces and aerospace defence. As I have said, we should supply these forces with cutting-edge communications, control, command and reconnaissance systems, and also complete the fifth-generation aircraft programme and the provision of new warships for the Navy.

The Armed Forces should be equipped with at least 30% modern weaponry by 2015 and at least 70% by 2020. To implement this task, we need to stipulate the relevant allocations. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development have completed calculations, and today we will analyse them. I would like to add that we will not permit excessive or inefficient spending.

Another thing I would like you to remember is that the state armaments programme is aimed at providing long-term development guidelines for the defence sector. This should allow defence enterprises to complete their modernisation projects, something we have discussed at length in the past few months at various meetings, while the Ministry of Defence needs to supply the requisite technical specifications. We will use them to ensure the provision of the necessary equipment to our defence enterprises.

I would like to say in this connection that priority during the placement of state orders will be given to those enterprises that can produce competitive hardware in terms of military power, range, and safety. This is why today we will discuss the draft federal targeted programme on the development of the defence sector.