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The third meeting focused on equipping the Armed Forces with systems based on new physical principles.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov, Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces Sergei Karakayev, Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Sergei Rudskoy, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Igor Kostyukov, First Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff Viktor Poznikhir, and Head of the Interbranch Research Directorate of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff Yevgeny Shmyrin.

Also invited were Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Oleg Ryazantsev, heads of the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control, Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation and Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities.

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Beginning of meeting with Defence Ministry leadership and heads of defence industry enterprises

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

We are holding today our final meeting in this series on strengthening and improving the Armed Forces. Today we will discuss the progress in equipping our army and navy with systems based on new physical principles.

Developing unique laser, hypersonic, kinetic and other types of weapons was a huge breakthrough in military technology for Russia. It has significantly, many-fold boosted the capacity of the Russian Armed Forces ensuring a high level of Russian military security for many years and even decades to come and it helped strengthen our strategic parity.

The development and production of these effective and innovative hi-tech weapons is a key development vector for our Armed Forces. Of course, it takes time, extra effort and funding because each particular model is the result of long hard work by thousands of scientists, engineers, programmers and other specialists.

I have noted several times that the Russian military-industrial complex, our fundamental and applied science, have done a lot of groundwork in this area. Tests have convincingly confirmed the unique characteristics of the Peresvet laser systems, and the Avangard and Kinzhal hypersonic weapons.

I would like to add that tests of the sea-based Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile are nearing completion. During the tests, these missiles pointedly destroyed both land- and sea-based targets from submarines and surface ships in full conformity with their objectives. The Russian Navy will start receiving these missiles next year.

Now it is particularly important to develop and introduce the technology needed for developing new hypersonic weapon systems, and more powerful lasers and robotic systems that will be capable of effectively countering potential military threats. Thus, they will further enhance our national security.

I would like to emphasise a very important point. The use of artificial intelligence technology is of primary importance in developing these and other advanced weapons systems. We have talked about this at previous meetings. This technology should ensure a breakthrough in improving combat capabilities of weapons.

This technology must be used more comprehensively in troop command and control, communications and data transmission, as well as in precision missile systems.

It is no less important to introduce artificial intelligence technology when developing advanced robotics with higher autonomy, and to control drones and deep-water vessels.

We need to fully reflect these priorities in the new State Armament Programme through 2033. The Defence Ministry is already drafting documents for an integral system of benchmark data for this. The main, fundamental goal in this respect is to make sure that the advanced weapons and equipment that will be produced and delivered to the troops under this programme will reliably protect Russia from potential threats.

In general, we know all this: we will talk about it.

Let’s start.

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