Defense minister: Armenia’s AF efficient and ready to implement military tasks

YEREVAN, September 11. /ARKA/. The program of providing the fighting efficiency of Armenia’s Armed Forces is fully done: Armenia’s AF is ready to implement military tasks, said Armenia’s Defense Ministry Mikayel Haroutiunian when presenting the report on the execution of the state budget in 2006.

“As in previous years, in 2006 the main objective of Armenia’s Defense Ministry was to provide constant efficiency of the Armed Forces, necessary number of serviceable military techniques ready to defend, ammunitions, military and technical property and material resources,” he said.

According to Haroutiunian, AMD 75bln 299.9mln was allocated from the state budget for these purposes, and in fact, the execution reached 100%. He also informed that 82.7% of the above-mentioned assessments were directed to current expenditures and 17.3% - to capital ones. As compared to 2005, the financing of the sphere increased by 17%, at that, 60.4% was directed to the financing of current expenditures, and 39.6% - to capital ones.

“In 2006, the process of staff training went on, which was directed to the successful execution of military tasks. For the right organizations of military duties, large-scale work in the military bases were held,” he said.

According to the data provided by Haroutiunian, 15km of antitank tranches, 32km of antitank ditches and 13km of defense lines were dug, and 45km of new military roads were built. In the Syunik region 21.5hectares were cleared of mines and transferred to villages.
“During the accounting period, 26ths units of weapon and 147 units of new automobile techniques were obtained. Work on maintaining military efficiency of the techniques was organized, 18ths units of military techniques, weapon and ammunition were subjected to technical inspection and repair,” Haroutiunian said.

In 2006, according to the data provided by the Ministry, the system of computerized control of the AF in the territory of Armenia was expanded, the system of radar monitoring of the civil aviation -implemented, the system of anti-aircraft defense – modernized. Besides, the food of servicemen was improved; if in 2005 the daily ration made 3780 kilocalories, in 2006 it made 3824.

“In 2006, due to new achievements, the medical sphere was provided by new equipment; AMD 250mln is allocated for the medical service of servicemen and their family members,” he said. L.M. –0--