Russia... again

I can't help but think that I am being proven right about my concerns with the "new" Russian attitudes about their military and foreign policies.

Russia has announced that their entire military establishment will be fully re-armed with the latest in military hardware and technology by 2020. Last month, they announced a reformed national military doctrine which outlined in very clear terms that ALL military and security options would remain open to them, should the Kremlin determine those options in the country's best interests (an eye-opening read, let me tell you).

Since 2005, the percentage of front-line contract soldiers within the Russian Ground Forces has reached more then 70%, and all rapid deployment regiments and battalions are now 100% contract (meaning non-conscript) soldiers. Conscription terms are now limited to 12 months (down from 36 months under the Soviets), and are to be phased out completely by 2020. Pay increases of more than 65% have been implemented since 1999, making a career in the Russian military a far more promising prospect than it ever was under Soviet rule. That puts enlisted pay per month at more than $2,700 and officer's pay at more than $4,200 per month... very nearly on-par with our pay grades, wouldn't you say?

The Russians have a new series of Kalashnikov rifles (the AK-10x series in all its variations) which is a combination of the NATO 5.56 caliber round with the proven reliability of the Kalashnikov design, meaning a lighter, more dependable round in a lighter, just-as-dependable rifle. This will be the standard issue rifle for Russian forces by 2020, replacing the AK-74 series. They are issuing a new sidearm, the MP-443 "Gratch" which can fire 9mm Parabellum OR 9mm NATO rounds at will (very nice feature, I think).

They have a new HMMWV (Humvee) of their own, the GAZ-2975... every bit as versatile as our own, but with nearly twice the armour and 20% more cargo room. They plan to have tripled their stocks of T-90 MBTs by 2015, with the latest variants in all front-line units by the end of 2012. I've already written about the increased naval procurements from both foreign and domestic sources, and Russian aviation advances are progressing at breakneck speeds (pardon the pun).

I remember making my warnings about this development when Bush was still firmly in the White House, and fearing that no one would take this situation seriously... but now that Obama has the reigns, things can only get worse. I say this because of what is clearly written in the "new" military doctrine link I posted above. If you haven't read it... do so now. Russia is PLANNING on the biggest threat coming from "encroaching NATO influence on Russian territory", and with former Soviet republics like the Baltic States now full-fledged members of NATO, this should not be ignored.