Serbia Becomes First European Nation To Acquire Chinese Air Defense System

Serbia has procured Chinese FK-3 air defense missile system (ADS), its President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed on Wednesday, local media reported.

As the export version of the PLA's HQ-22, the FK-3 is seen as a competitor to the U.S.-made PATRIOT and the Russian S-300 ADS.

The successful purchase by Serbia of the Chinese HQ-22/FK-3 follows the aborted sale of an older Chinese ADS, the HQ-9, to Turkey in 2015 under pressure from the United States.

While the price at which the system was sold to Serbia is not known, the HQ-22/FK-3 is said to be more expensive than the HQ-9 from the now aborted deal with Turkey.

Ankara had picked the HQ-9 for $3.4 billion over competitors such as the PATRIOT PAC-3, French-Italian SAMP/T Aster 30, and Russian S-400. Apparently, the Chinese system was the lowest priced in the competition while it matched the capapabilites of the others.

President Vučić had remarked during the Serbian Army’s "Fire Shield 2022" exercise last weekend, “In the coming days, on Tuesday or Wednesday, we will show you the new pride of the Serbian Armed Forces, something that will dramatically enhance our combat capabilities.”

Serbia procured the Chinese FK-3 air defense missile system transparently, complying with laws and regulations, and it followed procedures, the President asserted. Vucic is accused by pro-Western politicians of "arming the country by the hands of competitors of Europe and NATO."

Serbia has found its own path based on the will of its people, and the Serbian people are proud of themselves for protecting their own country by themselves rather than letting NATO do it in their names, Vucic was quoted as saying.

The confirmation came after reports said some nine the Chinese Air Force's Y-20 cargo planes were spotted in Serbia on Saturday, and speculation claimed that the FK-3 air defense missile system was being delivered to the Serbian military.

The HQ-22 is a mobile ADS and can intercept fighter jet aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, tactical air-to-ground missiles and helicopters, according to marketing literature from its manufacturer, China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC).

Serbia could still run in to trouble with the U.S. as CPMIEC is under American sanctions.