Serbian Air Force Recommends Rafale jets, But Government Undecided Between Russian, French Warplanes

Serbia’s 2022 Procurement Plans: Three Mi-17, four Mi-35s, two CASA C-295 aircraft

In 2022, we will get six new Noras, six new domestic howitzers to complete one full division, we currently have 12 of them, but we will have 18 next year, 12 new PASARS systems, 18 new Lazars, 20 new Miloš vehicles, 10 new MRAPs – these are armoured personnel carriers with the highest degree of protection, 2,000 new ballistic equipment kits and 2,000 modular rifles produced by "Zastava", said Stefanović.

We will also get three Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, 18 sets of (French) Mistral anti-tank missiles that will be mounted on PASARS systems, five Little Miloš vehicles, 66 Hummers, and 10 BOV armoured vehicles.

"We will receive four Mi-35s over the next few years, four helicopters that we ordered from the Russian Federation. These are real flying beasts armed with very powerful weapons, two CASA C-295 transport aircraft that will help our Air Force personnel acquire a new ability, because these are serious transport aircraft, and very important for paratroopers," says Stefanović.

"It is only what we have already paid for and that has already been produced mostly by domestic factories," the Minister said. In addition, he says, 22 new radars have been agreed upon, which will arrive in the forthcoming years, and that will increase the Air Force’s capability to monitor the entire territory.

He points out that 10 X-145 "Airbus" helicopters and two new Pantsir batteries will arrive in the coming years. "This will significantly strengthen and provide greater security to our sky," he added.