President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening, colleagues,
Today, we are starting the tenth cycle of meetings with the participation of senior officials of the Defence Ministry and representatives of the defence industry.
This practice – we have been holding such meetings for five years in a row – has proved its relevance. Over 360 presidential instructions have been issued as a result of previous discussions, and their execution was under special oversight, which made it possible to better coordinate the work and the goals of developing the Armed Forces and the defence industry, to increase accountability of the defence industry for fulfilling the state defence order and, most importantly, to ensure the planned improvement of the Armed Forces’ capabilities.
The development of a new State Armament Programme is nearing completion. Its implementation will largely determine the combat capability of the service arms and branches for the coming decade and in the long run. We need to carefully check all our plans.
Our Army and Navy must possess the most advanced weapons, military and special equipment, which take into account, among other things, potential changes in the strategy and tactics of warfare in the future and are on a par or, better yet, superior to their foreign counterparts. If we want to be in front and win, we must be better.
The key indicators of the programme should, above all, ensure guaranteed strategic deterrence and, in the event of a potential external threat, its effective neutralisation.
Of course, the implementation of the State Armament Programme will depend on capabilities of defence enterprises, scientific and research centres. However, it is important not only to develop in a timely manner advanced technology or weapon samples that meet the requirements of the Defence Ministry, but also to be ready to launch them into mass production without any delays or disruptions.
In addition to creating and manufacturing weapons, special attention in the new state programme should go to synchronising military equipment supplies with the construction of military infrastructure. We have already discussed this. This should ensure proper storage and use of equipment, as well as the deployment and training of personnel who will operate it.
Let us get to work.
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