New hardware
The Defense Ministry tops the list of buyers signing 17 long-term orders with six defense contractors to the tune of more $2 billion.
However, only limited orders for future designs like Armata tanks and T-50 fighter planes have been placed. The Ministry’s procurement list includes over 100 Armata tanks at $3.8 million apiece, and an unspecified number of T-50 PAK FA new generation fighter planes.
“The potential for modernizing the already existing tanks and warplanes is far from being exhausted. Upgrades are cheaper, which means that we are attaining our goals for less,” Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borsov explained.
Orders have also been placed for 42 upgraded MSTA-S self-propelled guns with the total worth of $131.2 million.
The Scientific Production Association SPLAV has been contracted to supply ammunition for multiple rocket launchers and orders have been placed with several enterprises to repair and upgrade existing howitzers.
Admiralteiiskiye Verfi shipyard, a division of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, has been contracted to build six Project 636 Varshavyanka submarines for the Pacific Fleet. The shipyard’s director Alexander Buzakov told reporters that the submarines would be supplied before 2021.
The cost of the contract was not mentioned, but in 2009 Vietnam paid $2 billion for six Varshavyanka subs, which are now in use in India, are highly reliable and cheap to build.
The three Buyan-M missile corvettes ordered for the Black and Baltic Fleets will cost Russian taxpayers $417 million. The Buyan corvettes can also carry Kalibr cruise missiles.
Yuri Borisov said that the Defense Ministry planned to bring the share of new weapons in the country’s arsenal up to 70 percent.
