the development of russian military policy and finland

68 · The Development of Russian Military Policy and Finland
task of renewing the weaponry of the Armed Forces by an average of 9-11%
per year, so that by 2020 the modern equipment would make up 70% of the
total. At the same time they were also to improve the education of officers
and other military personnel and to raise the combat readiness of troops. 239
One main objective of the rearmament program, signed by the President on
31 December, 2010, is to secure maintenance and further development of
Russia’s strategic nuclear weapons. About 10% of all the funds are concentrated
on the development and acquisition of land-based nuclear weapons.
These include both the modernization of existing systems and the purchase of
new ones. 240 Efforts are also being made to improve the nuclear strike capability.
241
Another priority is strategic space defence, especially the development of an
advance early warning system. By 2018 the modernization of the present system
should be completed and new facilities constructed in all threatened directions.
The program also includes different types of satellites, and other
space defence systems. 242
The Voronezh-M anti-missile radar at Lekhtusi, north-east of St. Petersburg,
became the first radar station of its kind in the country. There are three other
new generation radar stations in other directions of Russia. At the end of
2011, Russia started to operate another new missile warning radar Voronezh-
DM. This station is located in the Kaliningrad enclave. These stations can
monitor the Northern sector including space and missile launches in Sweden
and Norway. They are also monitoring aircraft flying in the area of their responsibility.
243
Russia is also modernising her airborne early warning and control aircraft, A-
50 Mainstay (AEW&C). 244 There have already been doubts about the realization
of the latest equipment program, since the three previous programs were
not completed. The former program (GPV-2015) for 2007−2015 was far behind
the established schedule when it was abrogated in 2010. 245
There are serious doubts that Russian defence industry will be able to fulfil its
goals. Co-operation today with several western manufacturers is one indica-
239 Krasnaya Zvezda, 18 March 2011, “Линия роста” (The Line of the Growth)
[http://old.redstar.ru/2011/03/18_03/1_01.html].
240 Falichev, Oleg, 2011a, p. 1.
241 Sergeev & Naumov, 2011.
242 Falichev, Oleg, 2011a, p. 1.
243
Mikhailov 2012.
244 FlightGlobal/Airspace, 14 August 2012, “The Beriev A-50 Airborne Early Warning
and Control Platform” [http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/media/russian_air_force_
centenary/the-beriev-a-50-airborne-early-warning-and-96716.aspx].
245 Falichev, Oleg, 2011a, p. 1.