The Russian government will submit a proposal to the parliament on the establishment of an advanced military research agency, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has said.

The new government body will be similar in its purpose to the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the US.

DARPA is an agency of the US Department of Defence responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military.

"We have prepared relevant legislation and will soon submit to the parliament a draft proposal for creating a similar agency in Russia, which will focus on support of scientific research for military purposes," Rogozin said at a meeting with students at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University Wednesday.

Rogozin said the creation of this agency will boost the development of advanced weaponry and help streamline the arms procurement process in Russia.

Officially having only about 140 technical professionals, the DARP does not own or operate any labs or facilities and the overwhelming majority of the research it sponsors is done in industry and universities.