Russia plans to complete the construction of a new radar station Voronezh-VP in Gabala, Azerbaijan in 2019. This station will replace a radar station of previous generation Darial, General Director of Academician A.L. Mints Radio Engineering Institute Vladimir Savchenko said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
The Academician A.L. Mints Radio Engineering Institute is the only supplier of meter range radar station Voronezh-VP, which along with the decimeter range radar station Voronezh-DM will form Russia's prospective system of early warning of missile attack by 2020.
"It is dealt with high potential station with high manufacture of Voronezh-VP meter range radar station. According to the plans, the terms will cover 2017-2019, but all depends on the goodwill of our esteemed neighbors - a final agreement will be consolidated on a political level," Savchenko said.
According to Savchenko, it is not dealt with dismantling the old station of Darial, since the radar station is owned by Azerbaijan.
"The new station that we plan to build will be owned by Russia, and it will be modular. So, it is always possible to dismantle it, remove and assemble anywhere near," Savchenko said.
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said in November that Russia plans to fully rebuild the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan and at the same time reduce the size of the area leased for the radar station's needs.
The Gabala RS is located in north-western Azerbaijan and was built in the Soviet period as one of the most important elements of the Russian missile defense system. After Azerbaijan gained independence, the RS become the country's property and Russia continued to use the station. A 10-year agreement to lease the station was signed in 2002.