Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, hosted today a meeting of its Military Council to discuss the current state of the forces' air assets, which include transport aircraft, helicopters, and an airfield network.
"Due to lack of funding from the defense budget, only 51% of the Missile Forces' air assets are combat-ready," the spokesman said, adding that at least 27 planes and 58 helicopters need a complete overhaul.
"Without funds for modernization, our air assets will lose all An-12 and An-26 transport planes by 2011," he said.
He also said that all airfields under the Missile Forces had been largely neglected and required immediate capital repairs.
"We operate seven airfields and eight helicopter pads," the spokesman said. "They all need a capital overhaul."
