KAMAZ to Re-Equip Russian Army's Vehicle Fleet - 7 March, 2003

KAMAZ's management have recently held a two-day series of meetings with a delegation from the Russian Defence Ministry. According to KAMAZ's press office, the meetings were devoted to issues regarding cooperation with the Defence Ministry over the development and production of lorries for the Russian armed forces. The ministry's delegation, which was headed by Colonel-General Sergei Maev, who is responsible for procuring vehicles, armoured vehicles and tanks, included over 40 generals and senior officers.

According to Maev, the Defence Ministry will undertake a fundamental renewal of the armed forces vehicle fleet over the next few years. The majority of vehicles - around 75,000 - are made by KAMAZ. 'New four-wheel drive vehicles, such as the Mustang, have become core vehicles for the armed forces,' said the colonel-general. This year the federal budget has allocated four times as much money to purchase new KAMAZ vehicles as last year. 'In the past KAMAZ used to supply the army with as many as 35,000 lorries a year,' said Maev. In 2002 KAMAZ produced 20,056 lorries. This year it plans to produce 25,000.