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Syria Proved To Be Positive Testing Ground For New Russian Weapons

By Fuad Mukhtarli February 2, 2018

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on a military airport / sputnik

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia has tested over 200 new pieces of military equipment during its campaign in Syria, which began in September 2015 when Russia came to the rescue of its longtime ally and embattled President Bashar Al Assad.

"The use of our weapons in Syria has convincingly proven that by its armament the Russian military is among the world’s leading armies,” Putin said during remarks given at the National Defense Control Centre in Moscow on January 30.

“In Syria, 215 state-of-the-art and promising types of weapons were tested and used. In general, they confirmed their high performance,” he said, according to reports from the Kremlin.

“The rout of the well-equipped terrorist groups in Syria demonstrated the power of the army and navy, and the course of the operation displayed the tradition of reliability and efficiency of Russian weapons. According to the Defense Ministry, 215 up-to-date and dramatically new types of weapons were used. Many samples of current military equipment were put to test," Putin said.

"By and large they confirmed their high performance parameters," he added.

Russia stands to benefit from its sacrifices in Syria according to World Bank reports that estimate the value of reconstruction contracts will total more $100 billion.

Throughout Russia’s military campaign in the country, over 1,200 representatives from 57 Russian defense industry enterprises and research organizations visited Hmeymim base and the port of Tartus in Syria, used by Russia during its operations.

During his remarks on Tuesday, Putin put an emphasis on Russia’s experiences using long-range air and sea-launched ‘smart weapons’, in particular the cruise missiles called Kalibr and X-101, as well as aircraft used in combat for the first time.

"Tactical aviation and drones coped with their tasks well, while air defense systems S-400 and Pantsir, in combination with fighter jets ensured the supremacy of our Aerospace Force in the air," Putin said.

Russia also utilized warships and submarines that Putin says dealt precision and concentrated strikes at terrorist infrastructure, as it sought to defeat the Islamic State (IS or “ISIS”) and beat back rebel groups. The Russian military, for the first time, also used its Su-33 and MiG-29K ship-based aircraft.

Russia is in the process of upgrading its fleet of ships, planes, and other defense hardware. According to the defense ministry, 60 percent of Russia’s armament has been modernized and 94 percent is in proper working condition.

"Today, when the world is facing rapid change in technologies, we must ensure Russia’s leadership in the defense industry," Putin said.

Last month Putin announced a $358 billion package that has been approved by the government and will be spread out over the next ten years, until 2027. The program is aimed at addressing military problems including equipping troops with strike weapons and next-generation reconnaissance weapons systems.