This article takes a look at the questions on the role and place of Russia’s armed forces in the social system of the country, on the strategic direction and on their catalytic effects on the socio-economic development of the country as a whole. It is shown that the most important component of geopolitical and social system «Russia» has always been its armed forces, which were formed as a social community and a big techno-economic subsystem. It was concluded that the strategy and tactics of the development of the military-industrial complex respectively with the times create a sustainable system of deterrence capabilities of competitors. Russia’s defense capability, providing shifting emphasis on support for science and technology-based industries and technologies in dynamics and in conjunction with the stages of solving environmental and social challenges stimulate the development of domestic economy and socio-educational sphere. The military-industrial complex as an important segment provides socio-economic optimization of the entire system of Russian society.
