"Next year we plan winding up approximately 300 research and development works and adopt for service approximately 300 new specimens", he said.
The sum assigned on national defence in the 2005 draft budget totals 573 billion roubles (1 dollar equals 29.22 roubles).
"On the whole, we are satisfied with the budget. The sum is 700 billion more than in 2004", the defence minister said.
The 70-billion rouble addition to the Defence Ministry budget can buy four intercontinental ballistic missiles, nine new spacecraft, six carrier rockets, 50 new armoured personnel carriers BTR-80.
The Bulava system has recently been tested to success, the defence minister continued.
"The 2005 budget will permit full-scale development of the new strategic missile system Bulava and new strategic submarines for it", he said.
