The Russian Navy fleet is set to get 24 new submarines and 54 ships by 2020, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a conference call with defense officials Monday.
"As a result of the state weapons program until 2020, the fleet should get eight attack submarines, 16 general purpose submarines and 54 surface warships of various classes," Shoigu said Monday, RIA-Novosti reported.
Shoigu said that the upgrade was meant to bring new weaponry into the Russian armed forces.
"Without maintaining the required level of the fleet's technical mobility, it wouldn't be possible to maintain its combat readiness," Shoigu said.
The country is expected to spend around 20 trillion rubles ($662 billion) by 2020 on defense to upgrade its military under the plan, which was first proposed by President Vladimir Putin.
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