MOSCOW, December 15 (AVN) - The third regiment equipped with the new Topol-M missile systems will start to fulfil combat duties in the Tatishchev unit of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) in late December, a source in the SMF Staff told the Military News Agency.
The SMF is going to mark the 41st anniversary since its foundation on December 17. According to SMF Commander Vladimir Yakovlev, one of the main service's tasks is boost activities aimed at commissioning the missile and space installations in Baranovichi, Belarus. First of all it concerns the DEW station. Besides a close attention is paid to troops reduction. It is necessary to keep and even increase the SMF units combat readiness. The SMF combat readiness turned out to be the best among the Russian Armed Forces services judging by the results of combat training in 2000. During the inspections 90 percent of SMF large units, over 80 percent of regiments, 70 percent of spacecraft launch and control units and some 70 percent of missile and space defence units received good marks.