Russia's Air Force will develop in 2010 a civil aviation safety program that should more than halve aviation accidents, a Defense Ministry department said in a statement on Saturday.

"A federal target program is being drafted to ensure civil aviation security which we think will reduce aviation accidents by two to three times and cut damage by 15 billion to 20 billion rubles ($502 mln- $670 mln) annually," Maj.-Gen. Oleg Kolyada, the head of the Air Force flight safety department, was quoted as saying.

He said though it would take almost the whole of 2010 to revise Air Force regulations, the bulk of documents would come into force as soon as possible.

A high level of professional skills, strict observance of rules and tough punishment for violations will remain major requirements for all Air Force pilots, the statement said.

MOSCOW, January 9 (RIA Novosti)