Europe News

Medvedev calls for US-style defence research agency in Russia

Sep 22, 2010, 16:41 GMT

Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for his country to adopt a United States-style defence research agency to innovate new arms technology, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.

Medvedev warned that Russia was falling behind other country's defence industries due to the lack of high-tech production.

'We need a research think-tank such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the United States,' Medvedev told a meeting of the Commission for Modernisation and Technological Development, citing the Pentagon as a model.

Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that by 2020 Russia will be spending the equivalent of 53 billion euros (71 billion dollars) per year on military technology. Currently, the budget stands at 45 billion euros.

On Tuesday, the Kremlin had confirmed it would be purchasing four French naval warships, while armoured vehicles from Italy are also on order.