Serbia Plans Joint Combat Drone Production with Israel
Serbia plans to produce combat drones jointly with Israel to strengthen its defense and increase military equipment exports. President Aleksandar Vucic said the country wants to develop its own capabilities, acknowledging that it cannot reach Israel’s technological level without foreign cooperation.
“We will do it together, it will be half and half, 50/50, and we will have the best drones in this part of the world,” he added.
According to available information, Serbian state-owned manufacturer SDPR is expected to cooperate with Israeli company Elbit Systems to build a production plant. The Israeli side is, however, expected to hold a majority stake in the project.
Serbia has invested heavily in the modernization of its military in recent years, buying equipment from several countries including Israel, Europe and China. Last year, the country acquired artillery systems and drones from Elbit, along with other military equipment worth billions of dollars.
At the same time, Belgrade exports ammunition and military products to Israel. The modernization of the army also includes the purchase of French Rafale fighter jets and equipment from Airbus.
Serbia is trying to balance relations between NATO, the European Union, Russia and China while treating the development of its domestic defense industry as a strategic priority.