[The army is doing pretty well with plans to create a professional army by 2007-08 and has been recieving BMP-3. BTR-90, Tunguska mobile AAA and T-80U tanks as well as aircraft. Pay has also increased and the conscripts are being paid regularly for the most part now.
I don’t know about BMP-3 or BTR-90 deliveries, but recently the Army has been getting more BTR-80As, the Tunguska-M1 was just accepted into service last year (existing Tunguska-Ms to be upgraded to M1 standard), and just the other day it was reported that for the first time in a decade (ie since 1993/4) new T-90 tanks were being delivered (the Russian Army isn’t buying more T-80Us, they prefer the T-90 back in 1997 as the ‘official’ tank, though they’re not getting rid of the 80Us). Then of course there are the Su-27SMs, Yak-130s, Mi-24PNs, etc. It’s slow going, but there’s definitely a positive trend building, especially since 2003.
The Navy is less of a priority but has still recieved new equipment in the form of new minesweepers, fast attack vessels, frigates and has plans to put the first of a new class of both SSN and SSBN to sea this year.
Aircraft are nice and everything but we shouldn’t forget that there are more things that Armed Forces services need to fight than just planes and helicopters, and these cost money too. 🙂
IMHO, the priority should be:
– infantry equipment and training
– Army aviation (helicopters)
– Air Force
– Navy
– Heavy Army equipment (the current tank and AFV stocks are quite adequate for current tasks)
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