The Russian Defense Ministry has significantly increased allocations for the 2011-2020 state arms procurement program, a senior military official said on Monday.
Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin, who is in charge of arms procurement, said that while the original allocations amounted to 13 trillion rubles ($426 billion), they would be raised to 20 trillion ($656 billion).
Popovkin said Russia would purchase up to 1,000 helicopters of various types according to the state arms procurement program.
"The Vostok-2010 military exercises showed the need to use helicopters in combat conditions," he said, adding that "special emphasis will be put on heavy transport helicopters."
He said Russia will buy 10 fifth-generation fighters in 2013-2015, and 60 more after 2016.
"We will start the serial purchase of this fighter in 2016 and a batch of 60 fighters will be purchased within the state arms procurement program," the deputy minister said.
The Russian Defense Ministry may also purchase up to 20 An-124 Ruslan (Condor) heavy-lift transport aircraft, Popovkin added.
The program, to be adopted by the government and signed by the president this fall, stipulates the upgrade of up to 11% of military equipment annually and will allow Russia to increase the share of modern weaponry to 70% by 2020.
The Russian military is expected to receive 27 combat jets, over 50 helicopters and five battalions of S-400 air defense systems in 2010 under the current program.
FARNBOROUGH, July 19 (RIA Novosti)
