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Serbia intends to buy six Russian MiG-29 fighter jets

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201706301055113057-serbia-military-equipment-modernization/

A whole array of advanced pieces of Serbian military hardware was presented at the 8th International fair of arms and military equipment "Partner-2017" which wraps up in Belgrade on June 30.

Manufacturers from 21 countries and delegations from 50 are taking part in the 8th International fair of arms and military equipment "Partner 2017" which is due to wrap up in Belgrade on Friday.

Serbia, the host country, presented a selection of sophisticated military equipment during the exhibition, including the Aleksandar, a modernized version of the Serbian self-propelled howitzer Nora.


The Aleksandar is equipped with a 155mm gun and has a range of up to 30 kilometers.



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© Sputnik/ Радоје Пантовић
The new Serbian artillery system Aleksandar

Serbian military expert Aleksandar Radic told Sputnik Serbia that modernization of his country's army was not costly because the new technical solutions are based on previous experience over the years.


"It all began in the 1980s, when the self-propelled howitzer Nora, which was based on the Soviet-made 130mm M-46 cannon, was exported to Myanmar, Kenya, and Bangladesh. In this vein, the Aleksandar reflects Serbia's desire to modernize its military hardware and increase the number of customers in the world market," Radic said.

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The Serbian missile system Sumadija

He also touted the new Sumadija missile system equipped with a launcher capable of firing from 2 to 12 ground-to-surface missiles which have a range of up to 285 kilometers.

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© Sputnik/ Радоје Пантовић
The multi-purpose armored vehicle Lazar

Also on display are the multi-purpose armored vehicle Lazar, the anti-aircraft missile and gun system PASARS, the ALAS missile system, the multitube rocket launch system Lanser and the full-track robotic platform Milos.


The Serbian anti-aircraft missile and gun system PASARS
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The Serbian multitube rocket launch system Lanser
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The Serbian full-track robotic platform Milosh
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In this photo Serbian soldiers seen near a Serbian military vehicle during the Partner-2017 fair
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The Serbian missile system ALAS
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https://sputniknews.com/military/201703281052054880-russia-helps-serbia-modernize-air-force/

Serbia with Moscow’s aid is set to modernize its air force fleet, though apart from relying on Russia’s MiG jet fighter aircraft it also depends on its own potential, which it accumulated since the time of Yugoslavia.

Currently, Serbia awaits the delivery of six Russian MiG-29s, which the country will receive on very preferential terms, as it will pay only for repairs and upgrades.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the cost will amount to 185 million euros.

The exact date of this delivery will be known only after the relevant documents are signed by Vladimir Putin and all the technical details are mutually agreed upon.

However, apart from relying on the delivery of Russian jets, Serbia has a few of its own aircraft that need to be modernized.

The light attack and training aircraft Galeb and the twin-engine, subsonic ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft Soko J-22 Orao, known for being the first in the history of Yugoslav aviation to overcome the sound barrier, are set for some upgrades soon.


“We need to modernize Orao to support land units and as a means of distance fighting,” head of the defense technologies department at the Serbian Defense Ministry Major-General Dr. Bojan Zrnic told Sputnik in an interview.


He further said that since from a technical point of view the process of modernization of Galeb differs little from the modernization of Orao, the ministry is close to deciding on the fighter jets first.

According to the head, presently they are awaiting the final decision, as modernization of Orao will include the development of new types of air weapons operating on a principle of standoff.

The Orao aircraft was first produced in the 80s and ceased in 1992 but according to the major general it is still early to write it off completely.

“Experts came to a conclusion that the service life of the jet can be extended to up to 40 years and possibly for another eight years, so in that way Orao can serve up to 48 years,” Zrnic said.

He further added that the modernization of each aircraft can cost on average from 1 to 8 million euros depending on its condition.

An upgraded version of the Orao jet equipped with laser-guided bombs, modern air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles and new reconnaissance equipment was revealed in April 2016 at Serbian aerodrome Batajnica.
 
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State Secretary in the Serbian Defense Ministry Aleksandar Zivkovic stated that army is interested in Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and equipment for special forces.
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https://sputniknews.com/business/201708241056763347-serbian-army-russian-tanks/
PATRIOT PARK (Moscow Region) (Sputnik) – Serbia’s army is interested in Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and equipment for special forces, State Secretary in the Serbian Defense Ministry Aleksandar Zivkovic said Thursday.

"I am interested by the exhibition of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, equipment for the special operations’ forces and engineering vehicles… Our expectations concerning the forum have been completely met, we have learned and seen a lot of new [things]," Zivkovic said, after attending the Army-2017 International Military-Technical Forum held in Russia.

Zivkovic also praised Russia's hospitality and excellent organization of the forum, noting that Serbia would gladly attend the event again

Earlier in the day, Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Director Dmitry Shugaev told Sputnik that Russia was planning to complete MiG-29 fighter jets deliveries to Serbia by the end of 2017. In addition, Shugaev said Russia and Serbia were in talks over S-300 missile system deliveries to Belgrade.

Moscow Region’s Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center is hosting a six-day Army-2017 Forum, which kicked off Tuesday. The event includes a scientific and business program, as well as an exposition showcasing the latest high-tech military achievements.
 
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As much as Serbs are loyal to their ally Russia, they should go for a more modern airceat like the Su-35.
 
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