The Russian Armed Forces will be fully equipped with a new-generation mobile command-and-control system by 2012, an industry expert said Monday.

Alexander Sokolov, a leading specialist with the Kontsern Sistemprom federal state-owned firm, said the Akatsia-M system, which he described as "a military analogue of the Internet," would be deployed in all military districts by 2012 "if there is sufficient funding."

He added that such systems had already been deployed at an auxiliary command and control post of the General Staff, the Voronezh Army, and the Moscow Military District.

"Akatsia-M is the field infrastructure of a military computation network - i.e., infrastructure for the operation of the military Internet," Sokolov said.

He said the system was tested in 2008 and its deliveries to the troops started in 2009. It will next be provided to the North Caucasus Military District.

Each mobile command and control post is equipped with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to ensure effective operation on the forward edge of the battle area (FEBA).

"On the FEBA, the military will have a terrain picture in real time," he expert said.

The Akatsia-M system, which is operated by two specialists, uses a UAV with a cruising speed of 120 kmh, a flight endurance time of 11/2 hours and an onboard camera with a range of up to 15 km.

VORONEZH, January 18 (RIA Novosti)