Russia to create aircraft carrier groups

MOSCOW, April 4 (UPI) -- Russia plans to have a fleet of five or six aircraft carrier joint task groups by 2060, the commander of its navy said Friday.

Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said that the navy is shifting strategy, the Novosti news agency reported. Russia currently has only one carrier.

"We should not separately build combat ships, aircraft or spacecraft -- everything must work as an integrated system," Vysotsky said at a Moscow news conference. "This applies to aircraft carriers as well. We are planning to build five or six naval aircraft carrier groups."

Vysotsky also said that the Bulava-M sea-launched ballistic missile will be tested successfully this year. He said that technical problems revealed in earlier tests can be resolved.

Once the missile passes its tests, Borei-class Project 955 nuclear submarines will be outfitted with 16 each.