Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said the country's military-industrial complex must be modernized to retain its competitive status on the market.
"To retain our competitive position on the weaponry and special equipment market, we must actively modernize our military-industrial complex, introduce innovative technologies and new management methods, and attract young, talented professionals," the president said.
In April experts said that Russian weapons were falling behind rival products.
Russian Academy of Science members Vladimir Fortov and Igor Kalyaev said that a reduction in research funds was making it hard for Russian weapons to stay competitive and for the defense industry to make breakthroughs in the market.
In March Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approved a long-term policy for the development of the national defense industry. He stressed that development and production of modern electronic systems would be a priority for the industry in the next three to four years.
However, Fortov and Kalyaev said the military prefers short-term projects, with concrete developments based on well-known principles. This approach makes Russian military equipment lag behind its rivals even at the planning stage.
MOSCOW, August 31 (RIA Novosti)
