BREST, 22 October (BelTA) – Belarus' Armed Forces will continue acquiring Su-30SM fighter jets and Mi-35 helicopters. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin mentioned the plans during a seminar for heads of mass media on 22 October, BelTA has learned.
The defense minister stressed the Belarusian army pays close attention to the modernization and acquisition of new military hardware, weapons, and special hardware. In particular, work will continue to acquire modern Su-30SM aircraft and Mi-35 helicopters for aviation units. The troops are also going to get radar stations Protivnik, Sopka, Vostok, Nebosklon, radar complexes Rosa-RB(M), and air defense missile systems Tor-M2.
In the last five years specialists of Belarusian defense companies overhauled over 160 hardware units and upgraded over 100 units. For instance, armored personnel carriers BTR-70 have been upgraded to BTR-70MB1 while T-72B tanks have been upgraded to T-72BM1. The renewal of the transport vehicle fleet continues. By the way, the special operations forces have been nearly completely reequipped with Belarusian automobiles.
Viktor Khrenin added that the army continues reducing excessive stockpiles of weapons, military hardware, and special hardware as well as out-of-use ammunition. “We've managed to reduce stockpiles by more than six times over the course of five years. Sales of military products have earned over $250 million for the state budget,” the defense minister said.
The Defense Ministry arranges a seminar for representatives of mass media every year. This year's seminar took place at premises of the 38th Independent Air Assault Brigade in Brest. Participants of the meeting are expected to get familiar with the daily routine of special operations forces, with their weapons and military hardware.
