MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. The state defense order will be at least 97% completed in 2017, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov told reporters during a press conference devoted to the results of the Army-2017 forum. Russian defense plants improve performance rates for the state defense order each year.

"I consider execution of the state defense order as an efficiency criterion [of cooperation with defense plants]. As you know, this ratio has been constantly growing during the past years. The order was 97% complete in 2016, compared to 86% in 2013. According to this year’s assessments, it will be the same, no less," he said.

Borisov noted that long-term contracts signed between the Defense Ministry and plants for at least five years and agreements for permanent service for earlier delivered equipment is a key to successful cooperation between the ministry and Russian defense plants.