Russia Proposes Scientific Military Unit, To Up Spending

The Russian ministry of defense today announced plans to increase spending on scientific research military units.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu proposed the idea of scientific research military units in March, as a first step, that undergraduate students be involved in defense research-and-development projects that would count toward their mandatory one-year military service.

He also called the divisions as “incubators for enterprises, R&D institutes and construction bureaus in naval, aerospace and other spheres.”

Shoigu said earlier that his ministry was starting a wide-ranging “head hunt” for young computer programmers to develop new software for the armed forces.

The Russian Armed Forces are in the midst of an extensive overhaul, including a gradual transition to an all-volunteer cadre, organizational restructuring and modernization of weaponry.