The future of Russian weaponry

Russia plans to allocate 13 trillion rubles (about $420 billion) for acquisition of new weaponry under a draft state arms procurement program for 2011-2020.

The T-50 fifth-generation fighter will be the most anticipated addition to the Russian Air Force. The production of the fighter is expected to start in 2015.

The Russian Air Force will maintain the existing fleet of heavy-lift military transport planes, including Il-76 Candid, An-22 Cock and An-124 Condor.
Photo: Il-76 plane during search-and-rescue drills in the Arctic.

An-124 Condor transport plane and Su-27 Flanker fighters fly over Red Square in Moscow during a military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory in World War Two.

The Russian Air Force will receive a number of new aircraft, including Il-476, Il-117B, An-124 and most likely other types.

Russian air defense units will continue receiving advanced S-400 Triumf air defense systems capable of destroying all types of aerial targets, from aircraft to cruise missiles.

The S-400 will supplement modernized S-300 and Pantsir air defense systems. Russia also plans to adopt new S-500 and Vityaz systems during the next decade.
Photo: A Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) short-range air defense system during live-firing drills at the Ashuluk Testing Range in southern Russia.

Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces will continue receiving mobile Topol-M and RS-24 ballistic missile systems and adopt a new silo-based heavy ballistic missile.

Russia will continue modernizing its Tu-95 Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers and develop a new-generation strategic bomber.
Photo: A Tu-95 strategic bomber flies over Red Square in Moscow during a military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory in World War Two.

Tu-160 is a variable-geometry strategic bomber capable of flying at Mach 2.

The Russian Navy is expected to receive eight Borey class strategic submarines armed with Bulava ballistic missiles.

Russia plans to build up to 15 frigates and corvettes, and some surface ships of other classes in the next decade. Photo: The Steregushchy corvette.

Russia is in talks with France to buy four Mistral class amphibious assault ships.