Seven priorities have been identified in the draft state armaments program for the next five-year period. This was announced after a meeting with Alyaksandr Lukashenka by Defence Minister Viktar Khrenin.
Among the priorities, he named electronic warfare systems, reconnaissance, communications, counter-battery warfare and short-range air defence.
“The commander-in-chief has repeatedly said that we live in a forested and marshy area and must know how to defend it. At the core, however, remains the development of small arms, the training of our servicemen and their equipment,” he added.
According to Khrenin, Lukashenka agreed with the approaches proposed by the government and the military.
“By 2030, it is planned to significantly increase the share of domestically produced weapons both within the framework of the state defence order and the state armaments program. And, of course, we will work on reducing production times for these products in the interests not only of the Armed Forces, but also of other military formations,” said Chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry Dzmitry Pantus.
According to him, the Belarusian defence industry today not only meets the needs of the army, but also exports to 60 countries around the world.
“Within the framework of the new, already fourth missile development program, very serious measures are planned concerning both the modernization of existing systems already in service, of domestic and foreign production, as well as the creation of new types of missiles, ammunition and new systems,” Pantus added.
He noted that this included discussion of a new domestically produced short-range surface-to-air missile system.
“There is no need to chase some kind of ultra-drones, because this is a continuous struggle — electronic warfare versus drones. As a priority, we are developing and producing what will actually be necessary. One must always find a golden mean,” the chairman of the State Authority for Military Industry described the approach.
