Russia unveils $650b defense-spending plan

Russia launched a $650 billion rearmament plan Thursday to counter the West's military dominance, by adding eight nuclear submarines and hundreds of warplanes to its armed forces.

The Kremlin's long-flagged procurement plan, set to run through 2020, will see Russia acquiring a total of 20 submarines and more than 600 warplanes.

Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin added that Russia would build a total of 100 new ships and acquire 1,000 additional helicopters.

"The main task is the modernization of our armed forces. Nineteen trillion rubles ($653 billion) will be allocated for this," news agencies quoted Popovkin as saying. "We are not interested in purchasing any foreign weapons or military equipment."

The Kremlin has been trying to devise a military strategy in recent years that would see targeted spending on high-profile weapons to bring Russia closer to the West both on the battlefield and the open arms market.

The strategy announced Thursday sees Russia funneling much of its resources toward nuclear submarines and next-generation anti-missile defenses to replace the already popular S-300 system.

Yet Russia's strategy of regaining naval parity with the US was hurt by confirmation that the military did not earmark any spending for new aircraft carriers.

That will leave Russia with just one carrier for the coming decade compared to the 11 in operations and six kept in reserve by the US.

AFP