#14 - RW 270
Rosbalt
80% of Russia's Defense Industry Is Obsolete

MOSCOW, August 18. Some 80% of the capacity of Russia's military-industrial complex is obsolete. Yury Solomonov, director of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology and a member of the directorate of the political party United Russia, gave the figure at a meeting of the general council of the party on problems of the military-industrial complex, a Rosbalt correspondent reported. Solomonov noted that no more than 5% of the complex's equipment is less than five years old. At the same time, the average years of service for the machinery of the complex is 30, as compared to 7-8 years in the developed nations of Europe. Moreover, according to the data offered by this representative of United Russia, more than 200 industrial processes were 'irretrievably lost' during the period of the reform of Russia's defense sector. 'We have crossed the line beyond which there are inescapable consequences,' Solomonov asserted. 'The present condition of the defense industry must be characterized as beyond critical.'

In Solomonov's view, financial guarantees of government defense orders need the bolstering of 'legislative action.' 'The federal budget should include a specific financial item on the most vital programs for development and production in the military field with times and amounts specified,' he said.

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