Putin visits new radar station near Baltics

Putin likes to take "a hands on approach"

by Staff Writers
Saint Petersburg (AFP) Aug 11, 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday asked the country's defence chiefs to work to modernise the nation's armed forces, during a visit to a new radar station near Saint Petersburg.

The Voronezh station at Lekhtusi was "a first step in a vast programme which will run until 2015," he said.

"I hope that the new defence ministry chiefs will do everything possible to make sure that the armed forces will be modernised," he added.

The state-of-the-art Voronezh station was inaugurated in December, according to Russian press reports.

Putin's visit came amid continued Russian criticism of US plans to site an anti-missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland.

The United States insists the shield is aimed at knocking out the threat from nations such as Iran and North Korea.

Russia says the plan threatens its security and has suggested that the United States and NATO use the Gabala radar station in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan instead of having a shield in central Europe.

Azerbaijan borders Iran, one of the countries that Washington says it needs to protect itself against.

Putin also on Saturday criticised Russia's aircraft industry, raising doubts over plans from Russian group UAC to produce 300 airplanes a year by 2025.

"Today, the competitive capacity of our aviation engines is unfortunately very weak," Putin said.

"The problems that exist are slowing the achievement of important aircraft projects. I am talking mainly about the plans of UAC, which has set a goal of producing 300 airliners per year."

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

MISSILE DEFENSE

Russia To Boost Space Defense With New Missile System

Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Aug 09, 2007
Russia is developing a fifth-generation air defense missile system that is superior to S-400 Triumf complex and capable of hitting targets in space, the Air Force commander said Wednesday. Russia recently deployed the first S-400 air defense battalion to protect the airspace around Moscow, and is planning to equip over two dozen battalions with the system by 2015. "While working on the S-400, we have been developing a fifth-generation air defense system, which will be more compact, more maneuverable, and will certainly have superior technical characteristics," Colonel General Alexander Zelin said.

SUPERPOWERS Is The Shanghai Cooperation Organization The New Warsaw Treaty Group Russia's Strategic Aviation Holds Tactical Exercises In Arctic China Shows Off New Military Hardware USS Enterprise Arrives In Gulf	NUKEWARS Libya stalling on disposal of uranium: report Russia Approves Mass Production Of Cutting-Edge Bulava Missile Japan And Russia Discuss Second Phase Of North Korea Talks Bush Levels Dubious Iran Nuclear Arms Charge
MISSILE NEWS US Pays Czechs To Destroy Cold War Missiles Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missile Lockheed Martin Tests Guidance Upgrade And Improved Software For ATACMS Block IA Unitary Lockheed Martin Conducts PAC-3 Missile Test At White Sands Missile Range	MISSILE DEFENSE Putin visits new-generation radar station Russia To Boost Space Defense With New Missile System Japan Buys Another Aegis System Russia To Export S-400 Air Defense System From 2009
AEROSPACE Boeing Flies Blended Wing Body Research Aircraft Steering Aircraft Clear Of Choppy Air EAA AirVenture 2007 Sensors May Monitor Aircraft For Defects Continuously	UAV NEWS Predator Soars To Record Number Of Sorties Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Completes First Flight Proxy Aviation Completes Cooperative Flight Demonstration OF UAV For USAF Second Predator Crashes In Iraq In Two Days
IRAQ WARS Australia says 'hard sell' keeping troops in Iraq Intelligence officers quitting British defence ministry: report Military draft should be considered: US war czar Army meets recruit goals, with 20,000-dollar signing bonus	MILTECH Japan to build stealth jet in five years: report Russian Gunmaker Develops New Anti-Terrorist Kalashnikov Russia To Build Fifth-Generation Fighter Prototype Soon F-35 Completes Successful Design Review To Train Pilots Of The Future

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement