The RA Minister of High Technological Industry Hakob Arshakyan presented several indicators during a press conference today.
"In 2017, we had 1.6 billion drams in research and experimental design allocations. In 2018, it increased to 2.4 billion drams, in 2019 - 3.8. In 2020, that indicator actually amounted to 3.3 billion drams. An additional 3.4 billion drams was added to it in parallel with the start of the war.
In 2021, 4.6 billion drams will be allocated for this purpose. In other words, compared to 2017, there is almost a threefold increase", Arshakyan said.
Referring to the possibilities of producing military equipment, the Minister said. "Due to the existing opportunities, in 2021 we will be able to fully meet the local military demand here in Armenia. It refers to artillery, artillery shells and grenade launchers".
Related to the strike drones and reconnaissance drones, the minister said that there were dozens of projects funded within the research programs.
"Some of them are already coming to their logical conclusion. I would like to inform that we are already reaching production opportunities in this regard. The reconnaissance drones, which are not inferior to similar ones in their parameters, can already be produced in Armenia, and were also widely used by our Armed Forces during the Artsakh war", Arshakyan said. He added:
"We also have quite serious developments in terms of optical surveillance systems, production capacity, they will be expanded in the near future".
