Russia to have 30 times more cruise missiles by 2020 - defense minister

Russia plans to significantly boost its precision weapons arsenal, with its number of cruise missiles rising 30 times over by 2020, the defense minister said.

"We will increase the number of cruise missiles fivefold within the next three years and 30 times over by 2020," Sergei Shoigu said after a Russian Security Council meeting on military development plans for the period until 2020.

More about Russian army

Shoigu said he had spoken at the meeting about rearmament plans for the Air Force, the Strategic Missile Forces, the missile services of the Army, and the Navy.

"We have synchronized it all with the infrastructure, which will make it possible to put all those weapons in service," he said.

The minister said decisions were made at the meeting that "will make it possible to maintain the battle readiness of the Armed Forces at a sufficient level."

He cited plans to replace a minimum of 30 percent of the armed forces' weapons by 2017. Some of the services would have between 70 percent and 100 percent of their arms replaced by 2020.

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