Serbian Minister Visits Dassault Facility Amidst Rafale Aircraft Purchase Plans

Serbian Minister of Defense Nebojsa Stefanovic visited the Dassault Aviation Development Center near Paris on Wednesday amidst plans of his country to purchase up to 12 Rafale fighter jets.

He held discussions with Dassault CEO Eric Trappier and received a presentation on Dassualt's range of products, including its multirole fighter aircraft "Rafale," the Serbian MoD announced.

Russian ally, Serbia has been looking westwards as well as towards China for arms. It recently purchased Chinese air defense missiles and had earlier procured attack drones from Beijing. The Serbian air force seeks West European fighters to replace a 13-strong fleet of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters of the Soviet era.The service also wants to replace an aging fleet of some 15 J22 Orao ground-attack aircraft built by Soko, an aircraft manufacturer of the former Yugoslavia.

Serbian Air Force had recommended that the country purchase French Rafale warplanes while government is yet to decide between French Rafale or Russian Su-30 fighter jets. Serbia was also in discussions with the U.K. to order the Eurofighter Typhoon and an unspecified missile, which could be fitted to the Typhoon and Rafale, Janes reported in April. The missile in question is suspected to be either the MBDA Meteor or the MBDA Scalp/Storm Shadow which fit the Typhoon and Rafale, Meta-Defense reported.

 “The Defence Minister’s delegation included Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradovic, PhD, Air Force and Air Defence Commander Lieutenant General Dusko Zarkovic, Director of the Military Intelligence Agency Major General Zoran Stojkovic and Head of the International Military Cooperation Department Colonel Nebojsa Svjetlica,”reported the Serbian MoD.