The Russian Ministry of Defense has approved a comprehensive target program "Creation of promising military robotics until 2025," Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Pavel Popov said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
“This year, a comprehensive target program“Creation of promising military robotics until 2025”has been developed and approved,” Popov said.
He recalled that the military-scientific complex, together with the military authorities, has already developed a concept for the use of military-purpose robotic systems for the period until 2030. In addition, a commission of the Ministry of Defense for the development of robotics was formed, which is personally led by the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu.
“In parallel with the creation of new models, we plan to organize training of specialists in the operation of promising models. It is planned to solve this problem in the system of additional professional education of the Ministry of Defense of Russia,”Popov said.
The relevance of the creation of robotics, according to the Deputy Minister, is due, in particular, to "care for the health of soldiers on the battlefield." Also among the reasons, Popov named the great length of the land and sea borders of Russia and the need for "complex and laborious land, surface and underwater work in areas that are difficult to reach or dangerous for people, including in the Arctic."
Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that robotics will become one of the main directions of the new state armament program for 2016-2025.