Innovation in the Russian defense industry has drawn significant international attention since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state of the nation address of March 1, 2018. While the first part of the address covered the usual ground of planned economic policies, the second part was an extended presentation of Russian defense industry achievements. What Putin left outwas as important as what he highlighted, and provides a clear picture of Russia’s prioritization of radical over incremental innovation, sometimes to the detriment of current battlefield readiness. This research brief discusses Russia’s successes and failures in modernizing its weapons systems since 2000.

The development of the US Third Offset Strategy has been closely watched by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Russian defense industry, and Russian academics and government agencies. Although Russia has active technology development programs comparable to those associated with the Third Offset Strategy, the Russian authorities are paying close attention to what effects US breakthroughs might have on strategic, especially nuclear, stability. In light of worsening relations with the West, Russia seems to be reconsidering its previous model of defense industry cooperation with China. Joining efforts at this stage may be seen by the two countries as the only way to prevent the United States from gaining a decisive military and technological advantage.