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Russia to focus on modernising existing aircraft until 2022

9th April 2020 - 14:00 GMT | by Eugene Gerden in St Petersburg

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Russia plans to modernise its military aviation fleet at a slower rate in 2020-2022 than in previous years, following the conclusion of a major multi-year expansion programme.

Senior officers in the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), speaking on condition of anonymity, told Shephard that 2019 was the final year for execution of majority supply contracts under the state armament programme 2011-2020.

In 2017 and 2018, the VKS received 49 and 50 combat aircraft respectively, but this total fell to 23 in 2019.

Over the past ten years, more than 250 new fighters, more than 120 frontline bombers and about 100 combat

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Eugene Gerden

Eugene Gerden is a Shephard correspondent based in St Petersburg.

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