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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

We continue a series of meetings to discuss key parameters of the draft State Armament Programme for 2027–2036.

However, I would like to start with greetings on a special holiday – Russia Day – to all the participants and all service personnel, civilian personnel of the Armed Forces and workers of the military industrial complex.

As I mentioned, we will continue working on the new draft State Armament Programme and will hear proposals on specific areas, namely, upgrading and improving air defence systems, space systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and robotic systems.

The special military operation has revealed that the role, tactics and scale of use, and even the range of air assault, air combat weapons have considerably changed in current combat environment. They have grown both in quality and quantity, not to mention that that aerial vehicles of various types and classes, including unmanned ones, keep constantly improving.

Everyone present here is perfectly aware of that. Therefore, effective neutralisation of such assault weapons and countering threats they carry is utterly important.

Since the start of the special military operation, the air defence forces have taken out over 80,000 air targets, including 7,500 modern short-range and cruise missiles as well as rocket projectiles which were almost 100-percent Western-made. Fighting various types of unmanned aerial vehicles also required new approaches and unconventional solutions. This area remains particularly relevant.

In view of that, the new state armament programme must ensure creation of a universal air defence system capable of operating under any conditions and effectively hitting air assault weapons regardless of their type.

The development of the Space Forces remains crucial. We need to complete the formation of an orbital constellation of space vehicles of different purpose on schedule and in full. This will enhance the capabilities of all kinds of reconnaissance as well as troops and weapons control in real time.

As I have said, we can see an explosive growth of the effective combat use of unmanned aerial vehicles. They can take out enemy’s armoured vehicles, strongholds, communications systems, transport and personnel. Thus, our drone operators account for a significant part of the enemy’s destroyed and damaged equipment and facilities, up to 50 percent. In addition, drones are actively employed for reconnaissance, counterbattery and electronic warfare, for mining and demining. Their efficiency keeps steadily growing.

In this connection, I should note that we are now creating unmanned systems forces as a separate branch of the military. We must ensure their prompt and efficient deployment and development. We know the enemy’s modus operandi. However, I do not think we are falling behind in any way. Moreover, I believe we have accumulated a lot of experience in the field to create this branch. It concerns personnel training, manufacturing and deliveries of cutting-edge vehicles capable of enhancing our forces’ combat capabilities.

The state programme must definitely be focused on the creation and wide adoption of future-oriented digital technologies and artificial intelligence in weapon systems and equipment, on the design of weapons based on new physical principles, and surface and marine robotic systems. We must substantively discuss all these areas today.

Let us get down to work.

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