Russian MoD seeks 19 Trillion Rubles (US$325 Billion) For New Arms Procurement

The Russian MoD will seek an allocation of 19 trillion rubles (325.43 billion US dollars) to finance weapons supplies and one trillion rubles (17.12 billion US dollars) to finance synchronization, according to Deputy Defense Minister Tatiana Shevtsova.

Shevtsova told TASS Thursday, "The current program envisages 19 trillion on supplies of weapons and military hardware and one more trillion - on the system of synchronization," she said, adding that it is a key difference from the previous such program which did not include spending on synchronization."

Earlier in the week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said opening the tenth series of meetings with the Russian top brass and defense industry executives that Russia’s new state armaments program is called to ensure efficient neutralization of external threats.

He stressed that the Russian army and the fleet must be armed with the most state-of-the-art weapons "that take into account possible changes in the strategy and tactics of warfare of the future."

A draft of Russia’s new state program of armaments will be submitted to the presidential administration by December 15.

Meanwhile, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said, "Top priority will be given to the development of nuclear deterrence systems which guarantees security of our country in conflicts of any kind."

Russia’s new state program of armaments provides for the development of a vertical take-off plane and new aircraft carriers, he said.

"It is logical to surmise that over this time the existing models, I mean the MiG-29 and the Su-33, will become obsolete and a new aircraft will be needed in a span of ten years. We do have such plans," he said.