MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti) - Supplies to the Russian Ground Forces of Tor-M2 low to medium-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile systems (SA-15 Gauntlet) will start in 2009, a high-ranking military official said on Tuesday.

"Tests of the systems will be completed in 2008, and in 2009 the systems will be adopted by one of the air defense missile regiments," Col. Gen. Nikolai Frolov, chief of the Russian Armed Forces' air defense, said.

Frolov said a new Pantsyr combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system (NATO reporting name SA-22) could be adopted by the Ground Forces after modernization work.

"We have worked out additional technical specifications that are being considered, and if approved, the system could be adopted by the Ground Forces," he said.

Frolov said the modernization of Russian air defense systems that began last year would be completed by 2009.