Russia to drop defense budget by 27% in 2017

[A.P. Richelieu]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/727105/Russia-defence-spending-drop-27-per-cent-draft-budget

Russia braced for huge cuts to defence as financial crisis looms
VLADIMIR Putin's ability to wage wars around the world could be severely curtailed after a draft budget submitted to parliament set out swingeing cuts of 27 per cent to Russia's defence programme.

 

[randomradio]

2015 = 3.3T rubles
2016 = 3.145T rubles
2017 = 2.84T rubles

It's not a 27% drop. It's 10%.

 

[Desi_Guy]

Looks like sanctions are hitting Russia hard .

 

[Penguin]

2015 = 3.3T rubles
2016 = 3.145T rubles
2017 = 2.84T rubles

It's not a 27% drop. It's 10%.

According to a draft budget seen by the Financial Times, President Putin's spending programme on defence is likely to be cut from £50bn to £37bn in 2017.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/727105/Russia-defence-spending-drop-27-per-cent-draft-budget

 

[randomradio]

According to a draft budget seen by the Financial Times, President Putin's spending programme on defence is likely to be cut from £50bn to £37bn in 2017.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/727105/Russia-defence-spending-drop-27-per-cent-draft-budget

Do the Russians buy weapons in GBP or rubles?

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Looks like sanctions are hitting Russia hard .

The troubles with the Russian economy and currency are more closely related to the plunging oil prices rather than sanctions. As is the case with most commodity exporters, their fortunes will go up and down as commodity prices change.

Regardless, Russia will still be a formidable military opponent. They still have the military-industrial complex of a former superpower.

And they are attempting to move their economy away from oil and gas, which may prove to be more successful than some might think.

 

[Razia Sultana]

The most likely outcome will be peace and friendship with Donald Trump.
Less US interference in Russian zone of influence.

The troubles with the Russian economy and currency are more closely related to the plunging oil prices rather than sanctions. As is the case with most commodity exporters, their fortunes will go up and down as commodity prices change.

Regardless, Russia will still be a formidable military opponent. They still have the military-industrial complex of a former superpower.

And they are attempting to move their economy away from oil and gas, which may prove to be more successful than some might think.

You are right. Russia is still considered militarily more powerful than China but lack of good economic growth will soon diminish its chances to retain that position. Economic focus of super powers is always welcome as it will reduce confrontations.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

You are right. Russia is still considered militarily more powerful than China but lack of good economic growth will soon diminish its chances to retain that position. Economic focus of super powers is always welcome as it will reduce confrontations.

A strong military-industrial complex takes time to build up, China is still in the building stages.

We are investing a lot of money now, but the other great powers have already built up their military-industrial complexes over the course of the past century.

Russia being a prime example. The amount of roubles they spend can go a long way, due to their strong foundations.

 

[Beast]

The most likely outcome will be peace and friendship with Donald Trump.
Less US interference in Russian zone of influence.


You are right. Russia is still considered militarily more powerful than China but lack of good economic growth will soon diminish its chances to retain that position. Economic focus of super powers is always welcome as it will reduce confrontations.

I seriously disagree. If China send a CV fleet to bomb ISIS or al Nursa front now. China will do a better job of not sprouting out black smoke from carrier funnel or loss a few aircraft due to incompetence of deck crew not able to fix back the arrestor hook on time and fighter jet need to ditch due to running out of fuel.

China CV fleet compromise of modern AESA DDG while Russia still use the old Sov as main destroyer. Even the Kirov battlecruiser might look big but none of the subsystem is modern.

Our CV fleet just conduct a few drill in western Pacific and South China Sea. I don't see carrier sprouting out black smoke or any mishap. Deck crew are well trained and fighter jet all launch in sequence.



Our 5th fighter jet just enter service while Russia operations PAKFA are no where in sight.

China military is more powerful and advance than Russia. After US, China has the most number of surveillance satellite to support global network and military operation 24hr/7days per week. Not even Russia come close. Our military has long enjoy more than USD 100 billion for many years. Big and advance military need big money. You can google those data I just mention. There is no bull abt it.

 

[Halimi]

Money is a massive factor in a military's capability, but experience, battle-hardedness, existing infrastructure and the development of the military-industrial complex are all very important also.

China is well ahead of Russia on the economics side and that gap will only grow. Similarly, Russia is well ahead on the other factors, but that gap will only shrink.

Don't rush, China will take its place as a military superpower soon enough.

 

[Manidabest]

russia should curb its reliance on oil export ... and it should focus more on other aspects of economy and stop worrying about defense it is strong enough

 

[Penguin]

Do the Russians buy weapons in GBP or rubles?

Doesn't matter, I gave you the source for that 27% figure. Post your ruble source. Figure out if the % refers to the same thing (i.e. official budget, budget estimates, defence procurement, defence research, entire defence budget, etc) so as to be sure not comparing apples and oranges.

 

[randomradio]

Doesn't matter, I gave you the source for that 27% figure. Post your ruble source. Figure out if the % refers to the same thing (i.e. official budget, budget estimates, defence procurement, defence research, entire defence budget, etc) so as to be sure not comparing apples and oranges.

All three years are given.
http://www.janes.com/article/64911/russian-defence-budget-set-to-drop-by-12

Point being, the GBP figures are useless because Russia doesn't import. So only the ruble value matters, exchange rate is irrelevant.

If the defence budget has fallen by 27% in GBP, then what the article also doesn't mention is the fact that the price of a Su-35 has also fallen by about 20% if you use GBP in the same period. Makes sense, doesn't it?

The selling price of a Su-35 flyaway is about $20M today. One of the reasons why the Chinese Su-35 was only $83M per unit. Similarly, the FGFA development cost for India reduced in dollar value to $3.7B from the $5.5B earlier, but significantly increased in terms of rubles because of a massive devaluation of the ruble.

http://www.janes.com/article/57187/russia-orders-50-su-35s-multirole-fighters
50 Su-35s for $788M.

 

[Penguin]

All three years are given.
http://www.janes.com/article/64911/russian-defence-budget-set-to-drop-by-12

Point being, the GBP figures are useless because Russia doesn't import. So only the ruble value matters, exchange rate is irrelevant.

If the defence budget has fallen by 27% in GBP, then what the article also doesn't mention is the fact that the price of a Su-35 has also fallen by about 20% if you use GBP in the same period. Makes sense, doesn't it?

The selling price of a Su-35 flyaway is about $20M today. One of the reasons why the Chinese Su-35 was only $83M per unit. Similarly, the FGFA development cost for India reduced in dollar value to $3.7B from the $5.5B earlier, but significantly increased in terms of rubles because of a massive devaluation of the ruble.

http://www.janes.com/article/57187/russia-orders-50-su-35s-multirole-fighters
50 Su-35s for $788M.

Russia doesn't import?
http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/russia/arms-imports

• How about Israeli drones? (Multiple orders. Assembly taking place in Russia)

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Po...rt-Russia-purchased-ten-Israeli-drones-415575​

• How about (Thales) targeting pods?

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Damocles_(targeting_pod)
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...to-use-thales-damocles-targeting-pods-220747/​

• (Thales) Gun sights?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-90
​

As for the Janes reference to Russian defence expenditure, those numbers refer to spending plans announced by the government. In addition, there are estimates/projections of defence spending done by defense analyse companies and government institutions that augment such information with numbers that are not put in the budget as defence items but that are considered 'hidden defence expenditures'. This is quite common. So, I would suggest checking the original articles source of the numbers and calculation method.

For all clarity, I am not going to debate specific numbers here with you.

China will do a better job of not sprouting out black smoke from carrier funnel

Right.
http://www.bestchinanews.com/Military/3600.html

China CV fleet compromise of modern AESA DDG while Russia still use the old Sov as main destroyer. Even the Kirov battlecruiser might look big but none of the subsystem is modern.

I believe PLAN uses 2 project 956E and 2 project 956EM? And seeing as China is currently in the proces of modernizing these ships with new (Chinese) weapons, PLAN will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Today, the primary destroyer of the Russian fleet is the GTu powered Udaloy class (Project 1155 Fregat), of which 9 remain in service (out of 15 planned an 13 completed). By comparison, of 21 complete Sovremeny's, there remain only 5 active, 3 ongoing modernization and 2 in reserve in Russia

 

[randomradio]

Russia doesn't import?
http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/russia/arms-imports

• How about Israeli drones? (Multiple orders. Assembly taking place in Russia)

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Po...rt-Russia-purchased-ten-Israeli-drones-415575​

• How about (Thales) targeting pods?

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Damocles_(targeting_pod)
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...to-use-thales-damocles-targeting-pods-220747/​

• (Thales) Gun sights?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-90​

All insignificant and irrelevant to the point I was making. The exchange rate fluctuations in such small amounts won't matter. The Russians have a huge budget considering the cost of their equipment.

The Chinese bought 24 Su-35s for just $2B, that says a lot.
​

As for the Janes reference to Russian defence expenditure, those numbers refer to spending plans announced by the government. In addition, there are estimates/projections of defence spending done by defense analyse companies and government institutions that augment such information with numbers that are not put in the budget as defence items but that are considered 'hidden defence expenditures'. This is quite common. So, I would suggest checking the original articles source of the numbers and calculation method.

Those are the complete official budget numbers.