MOSCOW. Sept 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Only 14 new T-90 main battle tanks will come in the inventory of the Russian Armed Forces this year, said Lieutenant General Vladislav Polonsky, head of the Automobile and Tank Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry.
"The state defense order provides for the procurement of only 14 new T-90 tanks this year, the vehicles being the pride of the Russian tank building industry and mostly assembled for exports," he told reporters Friday at the festivities at the Poklonnaya Hill devoted to the Tankman Day to be celebrated September 12.
According to him, the same number is likely to come in the inventory in 2005 too.
Speaking of the reasons, Polonsky mentioned the T-90's price of about 30 million rubles ($1 million) as the main one. The general said the Armed Forces would concentrate efforts on the modernization of the existing fleet of tanks, and conduct research into the design of the new-generation tank in 2005.
He added that the future tank would be the basis for the development of a whole family of armored vehicles in the 21st century.