MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax-AVN) - The Defense Ministry board will focus on nuclear containment assets, the voluntary manning experiment in the 76th airborne division and provision of armament and hardware to the Armed Forces during its sessions in the first half of 2003, a ministry source told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
In February, the board will consider results of system planning regarding various forces and assets of nuclear containment and improvement of military aviation pilots' training. The board will also hear the report on implementation of its resolution dated February 20, 2002, concerning topogeodetic preparation of terrain in strategic areas (on strategic theaters) and topogeodetic support of military groupings in potential conflicts.
In March, the board will analyze the measures that are being taken to strengthen law, order and military discipline and maintain the morale of all categories of servicemen, as well as to reduce social tensions in military collectives. The state of military-technical cooperation and main spheres of implementing the military-technical cooperation concept for 2003 and near future will be discussed as well.
In April, the boards of the Russian and Belarussian Defense Ministries will hold a session with a separate agenda.
In May, the board will hear a report on the progress in drafting the budget financing plan for 2004 as far as articles and types of expenditures in the National Defense section of the federal budget are concerned. Another report to be heard will cover results of winter operation of houses and barracks maintained by the Armed Forces. The board will analyze preliminary results of the voluntary manning experiment in the 76th airborne division and progress in drafting a purpose- oriented program of transition to filling military posts with professional servicemen. Attention will be paid to anti-terrorist activity and organization of interaction with other troops, military formations and bodies with the goal to prevent terrorist acts at the Defense Ministry's installations.
In June, the board will hear a report on the progress in drafting a manual on preparations for and conduction of military operations by the Russian Armed Forces and consider provision of armament, military hardware and other assets to the Armed Forces in the period before 2011. It will also discuss the state of and security measures at installations containing nuclear weapons.