MOSCOW, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Pacific Fleet will receive modern submarines and surface ships in a modernization and rearmament program in the coming years, official newspaper said Wednesday.

The fleet will receive eight corvettes armed with cruise missiles, with the first two to be delivered in 2018 and 2019, respectively, the fleet's commander Sergei Avakyants was quoted by the Russian Defense Military's newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) as saying.

The Pacific Fleet will receive four small missile ships armed with the Caliber and Onyx cruise missiles, Avakyants said, without specifying when this may happen.

Next year, the fleet will receive the first of six newest diesel-electric submarines ordered from the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg, the armament of which includes the Caliber cruise missiles.

According to the commander, the fleet is also modernizing its surface ships and submarines and re-equipping them with new high-precision weapons.

"Obviously, we are not standing still but developing and improving, which is encouraging," Avakyants said.

The Pacific Fleet has a mission of ensuring Russia's military security in the Asia-Pacific region.

It incorporates strategic missile nuclear submarines, multipurpose diesel submarines, surface warships, anti-submarine and fighter aircraft and ground forces.