Russian Army to Be Provided with 16 New Types of Weaponry

In 2003, the Russian Army will be provided with 16 new types of weaponry. This is what Alexander Nozdrachev, Director General of the Board of the Russian Conventional Weapons, said at an extended session of the Board.

In his words, in 2002, this sector made considerable progress. "The total volumes of the industrial production of weapons tangibly grew," noted Nozdrachev. As compared with 2001, it increased by 23 percent. Nozdrachev added the sectoral growth rate exceeded the overall indices of the defence industry and were only lower than the aircraft building figures.

Nozdrachev reported that power structures were provided with the latest models of hardware and weaponry that can pinpoint air, land and sea-based targets in any conditions. Thus, this year an artillery fire control complex Mashina-M, which made it possible to increase maximally the technical characteristics of self-propelled artillery, was put into serial production.

Late last year, the production began of a new Pecheneg machine-gun of the 7.62-mm calibre, which is superior of the PKM standard machine-gun in many respects. Among the 2002 innovations, Nozdrachev mentioned the first models of the high-calibre Kord machinegun on bipods, and the sniper rifle of the 12.7-mm calibre.