国际英语新闻:Russia speeds up air-force upgrading

MOSCOW, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia's air force will receive a massive reinforcement this year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday, with 33 percent of the Air Force' armament set to be modernized.

"In 2015, the Russian Air Force and Naval Aviation will get 126 new warplanes and 88 helicopters as part of the state defense procurement," the minister told a teleconference, saying "the serviceability levels should be raised to 67 percent."

Besides, 80 percent of the airplanes of the Russian Air Force's Long Range Aviation must be in combat-ready status, he said.

Among the most advanced military hardware, the air force will receive and put into service the multifunctional fighter SU-35S this year, which is "the principal task for 2015," Shoigu said.

Another task of the Defense Ministry is to modernize the MiG-31 jet fighter by the end of the year, according to the minister. By 2018, Russia plans to upgrade over 50 MiG-31 warplanes.

In 2014, the cutting-edge weaponry in Russia's Strategic Missile Troops, Aerospace Defense Forces and the Navy has made up over 30 percent of all combat equipment, Shoigu noted.

He also ordered to finish the naval infrastructure construction for new submarines by the year-end in the northwestern towns of Gadzhiyevo and Zaozersk, as well as the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk.

Meanwhile, Shoigu said that 454 warehouses for rockets and ammunition will be built in 2015, "thereby finalizing the infrastructures of 13 modern arsenals and bringing the storage system of rockets, missiles and ammunition in accordance with current requirements."