Revolutionary advances in microelectronics and computer technology that marked the last few decades of the 20th century gave a powerful boost to information and telecommunications technologies. Fundamentally new devices for the handling, communication and storage of information have been developed, and integration processes have intensified to merge primary and secondary networks in a unified multiservice system offering a broad range of services to users.

Pursuant to its strategic plans for joining the global information community, the Government of the Russian Federation approved, in 2000-2001, Concept of Development of Telecommunications Services Market of the Russian Federation for 2001-2010, federal targeted programs "Electronic Russia" and "Development of Unified Educational Information Sphere for 2002-2006," and Doctrine of Information Security of the Russian Federation. On the whole, the above documents envisage development and large-scale introduction of advanced infocommunications technologies in Russia.

The Armed Forces communications network tackles a considerable portion of its tasks by using resources of Unified National Telecommunications Network, primarily its trunk lines and channels, as well as special-purpose networks. The latter substantially lag in their development behind that of general-purpose networks, for which there is a number of reasons.

First, special-purpose networks are, as before, a monopoly environment, their development regulated by several directive documents: Concept of Development of Weapons, Military and Special Equipment, State Weapons Program, as well as state defense order. At the same time, the latter factor is of dynamic nature and directly depends on current financial capabilities this country enjoys in the short term, and military-political priorities consequent on real international situation.

Second, it is the state in the person of its agent (Ministry of Defense of Russia, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, other ministries and agencies) that is the customer (purchaser) with regard to concrete equipment. The practice of equipment supply tenders for state needs confirms that suppliers will keep their monopoly on science-intensive products in the foreseeable future, primarily in view of the limited amount of the state order (not more than 5% of the total production), and insufficient financial capabilities distinguishing potential equipment suppliers, something that prevents them from running in new advanced equipment models. Given favorable circumstances, anything like real competitive environment is likely to take shape only by the end of 2010, when such factors as nationwide general economic improvement and accomplishment of the main aims of the military reform will really produce effect.

To produce priority practical proposals on how to deal with this lag and devise a unified concept, the staff of the Chief of Signal Service of the RF Armed Forces drew up Concept for the Conversion of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Communications System to Digital Information Communication and Switching Methods, Targeted Comprehensive Program of Works to Effect Stage-by-Stage Conversion of the Russian Federation Armed Forces Primary Communications Network to Digital Telecommunications Equipment, and Program of Stage-by-Stage Conversion of Secondary Communications Networks of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, Other Troops and Military Units of the Russian Federation to Digital Information Handling and Services Equipment.

These documents represent a system of views on how to form the main precepts enabling stage-by-stage conversion of the Armed Forces communications system to digital information handling methods. This will make it possible to pool capacities of the communications systems incorporated in the RF Armed Forces command and control circuit into a unified general-purpose resource and to build up a digital network using channel switching or packet switching methods depending on type of info relayed and necessary array of technical services and user services that needs to be organized. A priority in this respect is creating a unified automated digital general-purpose communications system which has within its structure an integrated digital territorial communications system of the RF Armed Forces, digital field communications systems of strategic, operational-strategic and operational formations, and communications assets of specialized communications systems.

To implement the stage-by-stage conversion, RF Armed Forces communications networks and centers plan to use home-produced digital equipment and systems, as well as imported equipment without analogues in Russia.

At the same time, the telecommunications equipment market has changed fundamentally over the last decade, as has the environment in which domestic producers operate. The former shortage of advanced telecommunications equipment was made good by big Western companies such as Alcatel (France), Siemens (Germany), Ericsson (Sweden), Philips (Holland), Cisco Systems (U.S.), Sony, NEC, Panasonic (Japan), and others. Possessing high scientific potential, major production capacities turning out competitive equipment, and sufficient circulating and borrowed capital, these firms gained the greater part (up to 70-80%) of the Russian market.