Overview
- A day after unveiling a joint drone plant with Israel, President Aleksandar Vucic told top commanders to set up units equipped with long-range attack drones and drones that hover before striking.
- Vucic said the factory would be a 50-50 venture, while BIRN reported Elbit Systems would hold 51% alongside Serbia’s state arms firm Yugoimport SDPR.
- Officials have not published contracts or technical terms, so the scope, timeline, and specific drone models remain unclear.
- Serbia’s buildup follows recent buys that include Israel’s PULS artillery and Hermes drones worth $335 million and a later package of long-range missiles and electronic warfare gear worth about $1.6 billion.
- Belgrade says it stays militarily neutral as it upgrades, a stance that draws pushback from neighbors who argue Serbia’s rearmament could unsettle regional stability.