MOSCOW, February 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia must build aerospace defense forces capable of staving off commensurate threats, the Air Force commander said Monday.

The Military-Industrial Commission, which answers directly to the Russian president, will meet Tuesday to consider prospects for a fifth-generation air-defense system and building aerospace defenses in the country.

"The meeting, hosted by First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, will be held at the Almaz Science and Production Association, and the participants will discuss the prospects of developing weapons systems that would become part of the future aerospace defense forces," Army General Vladimir Mikhailov said.

Former defense minister Sergei Ivanov, who oversees defense-related sectors, earlier said new S-400 Triumf ground-to-air missile systems were adopted for service in late 2006 and will be placed on alert duty later this year.

"It is a unique system that has no parallels [in the world]," he said.

He said priority should now be given to the development of fifth-generation air-defense systems, combining elements of air, missile and space defenses.