Russia’s armed forces will begin using new-generation command and communications systems by 2015, First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov says.

“In line with a state armaments programme for 2007-2015, we have planned the outfitting of Army and Navy units with new command and communications systems,” he says.

Ivanov says the plans were drafted in 2002, Russian media reports say.

Russia is developing a global satellite navigation system, Glonass, set to become fully operational in 2008, and plans to integrate the military into a single telecommunications environment.