Government Plans to Reduce Military Service Terms

The Government of Armenia plans to gradually transition to a professional army in the long-term strategic perspective. The structure of conscription and mobilization military service will be significantly altered. This is stated in the Government of Armenia's program for 2021-2026.

According to the program, the ongoing extensive process of reforms in the Armed Forces of Armenia consists of both structural and substantive changes. "Considering the prospects for the development and improvement of military service, in the near future, the Government aims to reduce the terms of military service through the increase of contract service. In this way, the Government will promote the incentives for military service, both material and moral-psychological," the program states.

It is noted that the government will enhance the efficiency of the Armed Forces’ management and control systems. Necessary legislative changes will be implemented to address national issues in the defense sector and clarify the procedures for organizing defense, including the powers and obligations of the bodies related to the state's military security system.

The national security strategy of Armenia will be revised, a new military doctrine will be developed, and a state defense plan will be drawn up. The tools and procedures for preparing the state for defense will also be improved. In order to increase the efficiency of management and governance in the Armed Forces and reduce decision-making time, a unified automated management system will be introduced to ensure timely and expeditious decision-making in line with modern military science.

In this context, organizational and staffing changes will be made in the management and military units of the Armed Forces. To solve the stated challenges, highly mobile and firepower-capable military formations and units capable of conducting independent combat operations for extended periods will be formed.

According to the program, the Government will continue the processes of modernization of armaments and military equipment and the acquisition of new samples. A more targeted policy will be implemented in the field of military and military-technical cooperation with allied and partner states.

Special importance will be given to the development of allied and partner relations in this area, particularly expanding cooperation with the Russian Federation, which will prioritize increasing the military potential of joint forces (systems) and ensuring maximum interoperability of the armed forces of both states.

The Government will continue to improve the mechanisms for mobilization preparation and mobilization itself. Programs for the territorial defense system, active reserve, and preparation of militia units will be launched. Both the forces involved and technical innovations will improve the state border protection system of Armenia.

The government has always focused and will continue to focus on increasing the social protection of servicemen and their families, so the government will enhance the material and social security guarantees for military personnel, improving the mechanisms for increasing the attractiveness of military service and the reputation of servicemen.

The increase in salaries and other payments for servicemen, the government programs for housing assistance, and social and health programs for servicemen bearing the consequences of the war will receive new momentum. "The Republic of Armenia, like any peace-loving state, aims to develop and transform the Armed Forces not for aggression, but for protection against aggression. The Republic of Armenia has no intention of seizing territories," the program states.