Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future - Strategic ...

1,107 as of September 1, 2008, to 886 by 2012. Colonel
posts were slashed from 25,665 to 9,114; majors from
99,550 to 25,000; and captains from 90,000 to 40,000.
The only increase was to affect lieutenants, increasing
from 50,000 to 60,000. In an interview with Rossiya TV
in March 2010, Serdyukov explained that another 3
years were required, and he reported that 67,000 officers
had been dismissed from service in 2009. 10 If that
figure was reliable, they were approximately 50,000
away from the set target by the spring of 2010 (allowing
for shedding the 2-year officers) and on course to
complete the downsizing by 2012. However, some defense
officials questioned whether 15 percent was the
correct target and even suggested further paring back
the officer corps to 9 percent of the overall manning
structure. 11
Upon completion, the “new look” would abandon
the traditional division-based system and replace it
with a brigade-based structure geared towards maneuverability.
Cadre units were to be jettisoned and
in their place only “permanent readiness” formations
would remain. Although the transformation impacted
on the air force and navy, the greatest impact was on
the ground forces, with 85 brigades formed in 2009
and divisions disbanded, while their pre-reform total
of 1,890 units was earmarked for reduction to only
172 units and formations. In the air force, which converted
to a squadron-based system, only 180 of the 340
units would remain; while the navy was scheduled
to move from 240 units to 123. The Strategic Rocket
Forces (SRF) (Raketnye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya
[RVSN]) were to be streamlined from 12 to
8 divisions. The airborne forces (Vozdushno Desantnye
Voyska [VDV]) were reduced from 6 to 5 and faced a
brigade-based restructuring, an indication of a one-
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