More military hardware for Russia
Despite economic crisis and major cuts in public spending, Russia will next year increase its spending on new military equipment and upgrades with 1,2 percent to a total of 470 billion RUB.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov in a meeting with PM Vladimir Putin last Friday confirmed that the government in 2010 intends to spend 470 billion RUB on new and upgrades equipment for its armed forces, a government press release reads.
Being concrete on the most important acquisitions, Mr. Ivanov mentioned the development of the country’s strategic missile complexes, modern ships and submarines, as well as aircrafts type Su-27 CM, Su-30 MK-2, Su-35 and Su-34. Russia also intends to invest in the Iskander-M missile complex and the X-102 cruiser missiles for the Air Force.
The deputy prime minister did, however, not mention the Borei-class submarines and the Bulava missile complex, although experts say that up to 40 percent of the military spending currently is invested on this.
