Russia may boost the share of advanced military equipment in its Armed Forces to 70% of the total by 2020, a Russian think tank said on Wednesday.
"A draft state arms procurement program for 2011-2020 will be finalized in 2010. This program stipulates the upgrade of up to 11% of military equipment annually and will allow Russia to increase the share of modern weaponry to 70%," Russian-based World Arms Markets Analysis Center said in a report.
According to the draft program, the Russian Armed Forces should receive more than 1,500 combat aircraft and about 200 air defense systems by 2020.
Russia also plans to develop a unified air defense/missile defense network, to start the production of a fifth-generation fighter, and to develop a new strategic bomber during the same period.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier said the government had already outlined the budget for the draft arms procurement program and asked President Dmitry Medvedev to authorize the increase of financing for the defense industry by 100 billion rubles ($3.4 bln) annually to ensure the efficient implementation of the program until 2020.
The Russian military is expected to receive 27 combat jets, over 50 helicopters and five battalions of S-400 air defense systems in 2010.
MOSCOW, April 7 (RIA Novosti)
