Russia to strengthen its army with prospective aircraft

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu said that Russia was increasing the share of prospective aircraft in aviation procurement, Zvezda TV channel reports.

According to Shoygu, a second issue on the agenda is the implementation of priority programs within the scope of the state defense order for 2021 and the target period of 2022-2023. It goes about the creation of strategic, military transport and operational-tactical aircraft, the minister said. 

“We systematically increase the share of such aircraft in the volume of aviation equipment procurement,” the Russian Defence Minister said. 

He also pointed out the advantages of the new credit mechanism to finance public contracts for early shipments of such weapons. The new funding system has made it possible not only to speed up the supplies of state-of-the-art weapons to Russian military units, but it could also cut their cost.

In August, a source in the Russian aircraft industry said that a demonstration model of the new Russian aircraft known as Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex (PAK DA) would be ready by 2023.