Serbia wants to buy Bayraktar/Wikimedia Commons
Serbia has confirmed its intention to acquire Turkish combat drones to further strengthen the country's defense. The country took this decision against the backdrop of tensions in the Balkans and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
At a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Serbia asked for the supply of Turkish Bayraktar TB2s. Erdogan promised to do this.
We will strengthen our aviation. We will also increase the number of drones,” said Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
Serbia spoke about its intentions to acquire these systems back in 2020, but it never came to fruition.
How Bayraktar performed
Turkish drones have already shown their successful use in Libya, Syria and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Ukraine also uses Bayraktar, which it purchased from Turkey. Last year, Bayraktar was bought by Poland, the first EU country and NATO member.
What is known about Bayraktar
Bayraktar TB2 is a modern UAV system that stands out among other such systems with flight automation and performance. These drones can climb to a height of 8 kilometers, operate 24 hours in the air and carry 150 kilograms of cargo.
Serbia's other plans
Serbia is also interested in purchasing 12 Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter jets from France. These intentions were confirmed by Vučić. “We have been negotiating the purchase of 12 new Rafales for a year now, and we are negotiating with another country to purchase 12 used Rafales,” the president said. Such a purchase will allow Serbia to modernize its fleet, which now consists of Soviet fighters and Yugoslav combat aircraft.
Note that Serbia recently held presidential elections, in which the Serbs re-elected Vucic for a new term in the first round. Last week, Erdogan congratulated the president during a telephone conversation. Among other things, they discussed the war in Ukraine. The Turkish President reiterated that his country will continue to do everything possible to bring peace.
Pay attention! Serbia has underlined its intentions to join the EU, but plans to maintain friendly relations with the aggressor country Russia .
