MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The Iskander tactical missile system may be commissioned by the Russian Armed Forces in 2003, Director General of the Russian Conventional Weapons Agency Alexander Nozdrachev said in an interview with the Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye weekly published on Friday.
"A fair share of funds is used for research and technical backlogs. We primarily concentrate on creation of precision- guided weapons and a new generation of tactical missiles," Nozdrachev said.
"We have put the Okno optic-electronic system on test duty in Nurek this year. In 2003, we will try to make one more present to the Russian Space Troops," the director general said.
According to him, necessary documents and draft presidential decrees on the creation of the Precision-Guided Weapons holding company on the basis of the Tula-based instrument engineering design bureau have been drafted.
"Next year, we will be setting up a small-arms holding company on the basis of the Izhevsk machine-building plant, and Creation of an artillery holding company is planned, too," Nozdrachev said.
Speaking about the situation in the Ammunition Agency, the director general said, "The industry have been developing dynamically in the past three years from the point of view of creating new technologies, structuring the production, consolidating and concentrating resources in top-priority spheres. We believe that the financial situation of our enterprises has improved considerably. Development programs for design bureaus and plants that will be taking part in the implementation of the state defense order have been determined and are being put into effect."