The merger of Russia's air-defence forces with the air force is high on the agenda of a restructuring plan to be submitted to President Boris Yeltsin in July.
The plan has been drawn up by the recently established commission on military reform, led by Russian prime minister Victor Chernomyrdin.
The merger proposal has the support of Gen Piotr Deinekin, the air force'sCommander-in-Chief, but is being resisted by the air-defence forces. The defence ministry, however, is believed to be in support of restructuring.
The plan also proposes establishing an immediate reaction force of five paratrooper divisions, to include aviation and support units. Aquick-deployment force of three more-heavily armed army corps and an air army will be set up.
Source: Flight International