MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Expanding combat capabilities of the Space Troops through upgrading existing missile warning and anti-missile systems and space facilities, and developing advanced ones is a priority for 2003.
This statement was made by Colonel General Anatoly Perminov, Space Troops commander, at a military council session on Thursday, which addressed the results of the training year and outlined the main areas of his troops' activities in 2003.
"An analysis of the main tendencies of development of the military-political situation in the world allows us to expect that the importance of the State Troops will be determined by the growing role of systems and assets in their inventory in the maintenance of military security of Russia and its allies," Perminov said.
The military council said maintenance of the necessary level of the troops' readiness, adjustment of units and formation to current demands, mounting of combat capabilities through modernization of current missile warning and anti-missile systems and space facilities, and development of advanced ones, were the main goals in 2003.
The military council ruled to continue testing the Rokot rocket carrier (at the Plesetsk launching pad), to start launching Strela rocket carriers from the Svobodny launch center and to continue reconstructing a launch pad for Soyuz-2 rocket carriers. Other projects include building an Angara launch complex in Plesetsk and to start operating the Okno optronic system in Tajikistan.