PYOTR VELIKY CRUISER (Barents Sea), August 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia should start planning for the development of its Armed Forces beyond 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

"Many armament systems have long manufacturing terms, and we must start planning for the development of the Armed Forces after 2015," he said.

Five years ago, the Defense Ministry spent 30% of its budget on arms and 70% on maintenance. Now the ratio is 40% to 60%, which is also not enough, Putin said. He said the Defense Ministry should spend 40% on maintenance and 60% on development.

According to Putin, the 2006 defense budget will be 668 billion rubles (about $23 billion), $4 billion more than last year.

Putin said state defense orders would be increased. "Defense expenditures make up 2.6%-2.7% of the GDP."

The state will continue to pay attention to the development of the navy. "The fleet has never been a tool of aggression or attack. Its goals are to ensure the country's security," Putin said, adding that the navy was an expensive branch of the military.