In just a few days, 2017 will be history, giving way to the new 2018. Among other things, the outgoing year will take a certain place in the history of the Russian armed forces. In recent months, our army continued to develop in one way or another, and also solved various tasks, both on Russian territory and beyond. The year is coming to an end, and therefore it is time to sum up its results.
In the outgoing 2017, the armed forces with the assistance of various civilian structures, industry, etc. continued to solve several basic tasks. First of all, the modernization of the army continued, providing for the renewal of the fleet of equipment and weapons, as well as the optimization of existing structures. Also, various units and formations were regularly involved in various checks of combat readiness; several major exercises were held. Finally, in 2017, the Russian army continued to help Syria fight terrorism. With certain reservations, all of this year's goals have been achieved.
Syrian operation
For obvious reasons, the most interesting are the results of the combat work of the Russian armed forces in the framework of the Syrian operation. Since the fall of 2015, the Aerospace Forces of Russia and a number of other branches of the armed forces have been fighting terrorist organizations in Syria, and by now, according to official statements, all the desired results have been obtained - the largest bandit formations have actually been defeated and no longer pose the same threat.
Last Friday, December 22, in the new complex of the Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces. Peter the Great (Balashikha), a meeting of the Expanded Collegium of the Ministry of Defense was held, during which the results of the outgoing year were summed up. Detailed information about the Syrian operation was announced by Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu.
More than 48 thousand Russian military personnel took part in the Syrian operation. More than 14 thousand were awarded state awards. The Air Force, the Navy, the Special Operations Forces, etc. were involved in combat work. New weapons of various classes and types have passed the battle test. Based on the results of such operation, the developers received recommendations for further refinement of the samples. The end result of the work of the Russian army in Syria was the liberation of 1,024 settlements, including a number of large cities, as well as the return home of 1.3 million refugees.
As S. Shoigu pointed out, during the operation in Syria, the Aerospace Forces aircraft performed about 34 thousand sorties. In particular, strategic bombers took part in 66 strikes. 90% of front-line aviation pilots and 80% of long-range aviation flight personnel flew from 100 to 120 sorties. Navy ships and submarines have carried out hundreds of missile strikes against remote terrorist targets. A significant role was played by the carrier-based aircraft of the ship "Admiral Kuznetsov", which performed 420 sorties. In a combat situation, modern air defense systems were tested. For example, the Pantsir complexes were able to destroy 16 unmanned aerial vehicles and 53 rockets fired by the enemy.
The Syrian operation has become a testing ground for old and new types of weapons and equipment. In total, 215 products passed such tests by force. According to the results of real operation, about 700 shortcomings were identified; almost all of them have been eliminated by now.
As part of the operation, the Russian armed forces killed over 60, 3 thousand terrorists, including more than 800 leaders. About 8 thousand armored vehicles and improvised military equipment were destroyed, more than 700 workshops for the production of weapons and equipment were liquidated. The destruction of nearly 400 oil production and processing facilities, as well as 4,100 tanker trucks, hit the militia's income in the most severe way.
An important role in the operation was played by the Reconciliation Center, with the assistance of which more than 2,300 settlements with a population of about 10.5 million people left the war. Almost 1,700 times, the Center organized the distribution of humanitarian aid, which was supplied to 700 thousand civilians.
At the moment, the downsized Russian group in Syria continues to be on duty, and also demines the liberated territories, trains local specialists and otherwise helps a friendly country.
Teachings
While some units and formations were working in Syria, others improved their skills at their bases and at Russian training grounds. According to the Ministry of Defense, 15,000 different training events were held in 2017 - an increase of 20% compared to the previous year. The number of bilateral exercises has been doubled. Intensity of interspecific training - by 16%. Russia conducts military cooperation with 90 countries, of which 35 participated in joint exercises.
A large number of their own and joint exercises have been conducted. The Minister of Defense called the Zapad-2017 exercise, held jointly with the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus, as the most significant such event of the outgoing year. Also, international maneuvers "Combat Brotherhood", "Sea Interaction", "Indra" were held.
A special place in the field of international cooperation is occupied by the International Army Games. Several years ago, Russia only held tank biathlon competitions, but to date, several "disciplines" have appeared within the framework of full-fledged games. This year, 28 countries took part in the Army Games, and the polygons of five states became the site for the competition. To carry out such events in Russia, 149 landfills were modernized.
Rearmament
The current results of the ongoing rearmament were announced. At the moment, as of the end of 2017, the share of new weapons and equipment in the troops is at the level of 60%. Over the next few years - by 2021 - this parameter should reach 70%. For comparison, five years ago, in 2012, the share of new products was only 16%.
In 2017, the rearmament of three missile regiments from the Strategic Missile Forces was completed. These units received complete sets of Yars missile systems in a mobile soil version. The aviation component of the strategic nuclear forces was replenished with three modernized aircraft. The development of the marine component continues as part of the construction of new submarines. However, this year the Navy did not receive new strategic missile carriers.
In the outgoing year, the ground forces received 2,055 units of new and modernized weapons and equipment. With the help of such supplies, it was possible to re-equip 3 formations and 11 units. The airborne troops' arsenals and equipment fleet received 184 armored combat vehicles of various classes, including a number of self-propelled guns.
The aerospace forces were replenished with a new military transport division and a special purpose division. A number of units and air bases received 191 modern aircraft and helicopters. Also for the Aerospace Forces, 143 units of anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems were built and transferred. A few weeks ago, the Unified Space System was put on experimental alert duty.
The Navy began operating a dozen new ships and boats, as well as 13 auxiliary vessels. Naval aviation has been reinforced with 15 new aircraft. The coastal troops were supplied with four complexes "Ball" and "Bastion".
The supply of troops with unmanned aerial reconnaissance systems continues. This year, the army received 59 such complexes of a number of models, which include a total of 199 aircraft.
Military construction
In parallel with the production of new equipment, the construction of the infrastructure necessary for its maintenance and service is underway. This year, for this purpose, almost 3300 buildings and structures for various purposes with a total area of 3.2 million square meters were built. Compared to the previous year, an increase of 6% was obtained.
Construction of 25 new production and logistics complexes is underway. The first of them, "Nara", was commissioned this year. With its help, it will be possible to reduce 29 storage facilities and optimize the cost of maintaining the material part.
Personnel training
This year the Ministry of Defense opened a new Presidential Cadet School in Petrozavodsk. As Minister of Defense S. Shoigu noted, this event puts an end to the program of forming a network of similar educational institutions in all federal districts, which was launched at the direction of the president. A new branch of the Nakhimov Naval School (St. Petersburg) was opened in Murmansk.
Next year, the Ministry of Defense plans to commission a couple of new educational buildings at the Nakhimov School in St. Petersburg. The Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces (Balashikha) will open a physics and mathematics school for gifted children.
Health
At the Military Medical Academy. CM. Kirov, a new multidisciplinary clinic was opened. This institution provides a full range of medical care that meets international standards. During the year, 35 thousand people underwent treatment in the hospital of the clinic. 19800 operations were performed, including 16 thousand complex and high-tech operations.
The Multidisciplinary Clinic has established telemedicine facilities. Thus, within the framework of the treatment of servicemen in the Arctic, over 100 planned and emergency telemedicine consultations were carried out during the year.
On the whole, good results have been obtained in the field of health care in the army. The overall incidence rate of personnel this year has decreased by 7%.
Plans for the future
Completing one year, the military department makes plans for the next. First of all, they are associated with the purchase of new weapons and equipment for all types of armed forces and combat arms. By the end of next year, the share of new products in the army as a whole should reach 61%. This figure in the Strategic Missile Forces will be 82%, in the ground forces - 46%, in the Aerospace Forces - 74%, in the navy - 55%.
The development of the strategic nuclear forces will continue with the deployment of 11 Yars missile launchers. Long-range aviation will receive six upgraded aircraft. The fleet will include a Project 995A lead missile cruiser armed with Bulava missiles.
The ground forces will receive more than 3,500 units of new weapons and equipment next year. The Aerospace Forces and Naval Aviation will receive more than two hundred new and modernized aircraft of different classes. It is also planned to supply ten divisional sets of S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems and four sets of the Pantsir system. The Aerospace Forces will have to continue the experimental operation of the Unified Space System. The Navy will receive 35 ships, boats, submarines and vessels.
In the interests of aviation and other types of troops, in 2018 it is planned to complete the reconstruction and modernization of 11 airfields in different regions. About 3 thousand various buildings and structures in different parts will be put into operation. Also next year the process of creation of the ERA Military Innovative Technopolis will start.
Community relations
Renewal and modernization of the armed forces, as well as patriotic education and real successes in military operations lead to the desired results in the field of public relations. Over the past five years, there has been a steady increase in the approval of the armed forces by the citizens of the country.
According to the latest data, over five years the number of negative assessments of the army's activities has decreased several times - from 31% to 7%. At the same time, 93% of respondents trust the army. 64% of citizens consider military service an important and good school of life for young people.
Not so long ago, with the participation of the Ministry of Defense, the youth movement "Yunarmiya" was founded. To date, this organization consists of 188 thousand people from all regions of the country. Thus, Yunarmiya is one of the largest and most popular youth organizations in Russia. Recently, about 16 thousand members of the "Youth Army" have visited sports and patriotic camps. Such positive experience will be used in the future and expanded to other regions.
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As follows from the official data announced during the recent expanded meeting of the Collegium of the Ministry of Defense, in general, everything is going in accordance with the established plans and the main tasks for the outgoing year have been successfully accomplished. The state defense order was almost completely fulfilled, the army mastered new models of equipment and weapons, and also used them in the fight against international terrorism.
Naturally, as always happens in all areas, not all plans were fully implemented, and therefore some of the work will have to be completed as early as next 2018. Nevertheless, the accumulated experience and the existing potential allow us to look into the future with optimism and not doubt that the plans will nevertheless be fully implemented, and the appearance of the armed forces will meet the requirements.
As in the recent past, the Ministry of Defense and the Army see off the outgoing year with good results and an updated list of achievements. In just a few days, the new year 2018 will begin, and the armed forces, with the assistance of industry and the state, will have to again solve new tasks of one kind or another. The development of the army will not stop and will soon give new results. In the meantime, the armed forces can pay attention to festive events.
