Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: Encyclopedia II - Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Resources

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Resources

The available manpower for the various branches of the Armed Forces was estimated at 36 million in 2003. According to Russian reports, in FY 2002, there was about a 40% increase in arms procurement spending. However, even this increase is not enough to make up for the budget shortfalls of the previous decade. Russia's struggling arms producers will, therefore, intensify their efforts to seek sales to foreign governments.

As of 2005, some 330,000 young men are brought into the army via conscription in two call-ups each year. Conscripts are supposed to serve for two years (but only 9% do, according to the Defence Ministry), though this commitment is set to be reduced to one year in 2008. Russian officials say that they plan to achieve a 70% volunteer force by that year.

Women also serve in the Russian military, though in far lesser numbers than men. As of 2005, there were approximately 90,000 women serving in the various branches. Women usually serve in support roles, most commonly in the fields of nursing, communications, and engineering.

The ranks of the Russian military are also open to non-Russian citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States, of which Russia is the largest member. Non-Russians enlisting from these states cannot serve in elite or secret units but are in many cases entitled to Russian citizenship after their term of service.

About 70% of the former Soviet Union's defense industries are located in the Russian Federation. A large number of state-owned defense enterprises are on the brink of collapse as a result of cuts in weapons orders and insufficient funding to shift to production of civilian goods, while at the same time trying to meet payrolls. Many defense firms have been privatized; some have developed significant partnerships with firms in other countries.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Resources", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki