IVANOVO. May 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's Airborne Troops, Strategic Missile Troops and submarine fleet must be fully contract-based by 2020, Airborne Troops Commander Col. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov said on Saturday.
"The task of our forces until 2020 is to have 100% of Airborne Troops contract-based. I am certain that at least 90% of the Russian Armed Forces will be contract-based from 2020, and the Airborne Troops, the Strategic Missile Troops, and the submarine fleet will be 100% contract-based," Shamanov said during a contractors' selection in Ivanovo.
Today, 60% of the Airborne Troops serve on a contract basis, and that is "really noticeable" as these troops are more motivated and more capable of actively responding to various complex situations, he said.
"This year our Airborne Troops will have over 25,000 contractors. Soon the problem of military conscription will be resolved," he said.
The Defense Ministry said earlier that over 237,000 people have been drafted under a contract to serve in the Russian Armed Forces. This year's plans include getting another 43,000 enlisted, with the army expected to have half a million contractors before 2017.