Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) will completely switch to digital data transmission technologies by 2020, the Defense Ministry press service said in a statement.

According to the MoD press service, missile launch centers, down to the division level, as well as the SMF's Communications Center, training facilities and the Peter the Great Military Academy in Moscow and its branch in Serpukhov, are now all equipped with digital telecommunications equipment.

Over the past four years new digital communications systems for SMF divisions have been delivered to command points across the country and satellite communications centers have been modernized along with short and ultra-shortwave up radio stations and service and repair centers.

"If the current pace of modernization is maintained, by 2020 the Russian Strategic Missile Forces will be 100-percent equipped with digital data transmission technologies," the statement said.

As Many as 99% of ICBMs of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces in Combat Readiness
There are some 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles in the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, 99 percent of which are in the state of combat readiness, the commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) said Thursday.

He also said that Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) will do combat patrolling in new regions in 2017, including the European part of the country.

"It is necessary to stress that RVSN will explore new regions of combat patrolling within the framework of exercises in 2017," Col. Gen. Sergey Karakayev told reporters.

"At present, the RVSN group comprises some 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads of various power classes. [ As many as] 99 percent of missile launchers are in the state of combat readiness."

Source: Sputnik News