MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Air Force and naval aviation will receive more than 200 aircraft and helicopters in 2015, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"As part of the state defense procurement this year, the Air Force and naval aviation will get 126 new aircraft and 88 helicopters," Shoigu told a meeting at the defense ministry. "Some 80% of the long-range aviation’s aircraft fleet should be in good repair," he said.
The rearmament of the Air Force is one of the priorities for 2015, Shoigu said. The share of modern weapons there is expected to reach 33%, while 67% needs to be in good order, he said.
The minister reminded that in 2014 the share of modern weapons and equipment in Russia’s Navy, Strategic Missile Troops and Aerospace Defense Forces exceeded 30%
New generation 4++ fighter jet to enter service in 2015
Sergey Shoigu said Russia's new multi-role Sukhoi-35S fighter jet is to be authorized for service in 2015.
"At the moment the multi-role Sukhoi-35S jet is in the test operation phase," he said.
According tpo the minister, it is necessary to ensure quality testing of the plane and adjusting its parameters to the terms of reference.
In 2009, Russian military ordered 48 Sukhoi-35S fighters. Last summer the United Aircraft-building Corporation said that in 2015 another contract for more than 40 planes would be concluded.
Sukhoi-35S is a generation 4++ single-seat twin-engine variable thrust highly maneuverable jet equipped with an on-board phased array radar. It is to replace the Sukhoi-27 fighter. Its improved and reinforced airframe has a standard life cycle of 30 years.
Over 140 military townships, 450 warehouses for missiles to be built
The minister also dwelled on infrastructure projects.
"The target is to build 454 warehouses, thereby finalizing the infrastructures of 13 modern arsenals and bringing the system of storing rockets, missiles and ammunition in accordance with the established requirements," he said.
Shoigu recalled that within the framework of the departmental target program titled ‘Improvement of the Infrastructure of Storing and Operating Missiles, Ammunition and Explosives for 2012-2014’ measures were taken to improve logistics infrastructures. A total of 126 warehouses for keeping newly-manufactured and new generation missiles rockets and ammunition were built, Shoigu said.
Russian Defence Ministry also plans to develop more than 140 military townships in 2015.
"Development of 104 out of 535 military townships planned to be built until 2017 was completed last year. As many as 142 military townships are due to be developed this year," he said.
Meanwhile, the minister ordered to complete construction of naval infrastructure facilities before the yearend to base new submarines in Gadzhiyevo, where construction of a base for Borei-class submarine cruisers was finalised in 2014, Zaozersk, both are closed-access towns in northern Russia’s Murmansk region, and Novorossiisk, Russia’s major port on the Black Sea.
"All works are being done within deadlines set according to previously adopted standards and construction projects of special facilities, housing and infrastructure," the defence minister said, noting that this trend was among priorities for the defence agency.