13.06.2018.

Minister Vulin at the Military Technology Trade Fair in Paris

We have something to be proud of

Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin visited the EUROSATORY Military Technology Trade Fair in Paris, yesterday and paid a call on the stand of Yugoimport-SDPR, the biggest one in the main hall of the Fair, displaying products of the Serbian defence industry.

Minister Vulin pointed out the importance of participation of the Republic of Serbia in the prestigious French fair and added that the stand of Yugoimport-SDPR, where other contractors were also present, attracted a lot of attention.

- We can be proud and we can compete with much more developed countries, not just in the production of ammunition, for which we are world-famous, but in complex combat systems, which is something that only the strongest armies in the world can say for themselves. This is a way for Serbia to present itself to the world and to display its results as something that certainly contributes to the development of our industry, Minister of Defence said .

According to him, revenues of USD 580 million were realized in the defence industry of Serbia last year, and a large increase is expected this year, with revenues amounting to around USD 680 million.

- Right here we have shown what new resources and new technologies we are conquering. Serbia has to be counted on, with its army and defence industry, but also the Serbian Armed Forces is acquiring much faster and cheaper equipment, thanks to the fact that it has the Serbian defence industry. Much more developed and much richer armies have to allocate much more money to buy such combat systems that we get at producer prices and thanks to which we can equip our army with much less money, Serbian Defence Minister said.

At the Yugoimport-SDPR stand, visitors were interested in the self-propelled howitzer Nora, as the best sold piece of artillery, and the self-propelled artillery weapon Aleksandar and the modular self-propelled multiple launch weapon Sumadija, presented outside Serbia for the first time.

Director of Sales at Yugoimport-SDPR, Aleksandar Lijakovic, pointed out that the company integrated the defense industry of Serbia and presented its development and production projects.

- The Sumadija system is the most interesting and the most attractive system at the moment, as well as a one-on-one missile which is the biggest missile at this year's fair – Lijakovic said. Thanks to the support of the President of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Defence in the last few years, and especially in the last three years, we have recorded exceptional development and growth of production and trade. We are very proud of the new innovative technologies developed by the Serbian defence industry as a whole, including Yugoimport-SDPR, as a system integrator for development and production organisation of complex weapon systems, as well as our factories manufacturing small-arms, medium and large calibre ammunition, small calibre aircraft and artillery ammunition, rocket artillery assets, personal protective equipment and others, Lijaković said.
As he emphasized, all products presented in Paris are relatively new and are a showcase of Serbia's innovative weapon technologies.

- Although a small country, Serbia, in comparison with the great world powers, is highly competitive with the world's largest players in the field of artillery. Nora, Aleksandar and Šumadija systems are at the entrance of this part of the fair and practically show our rising power in the production of weapons and military equipment. In recent years, we have invested a lot in development, in innovative technologies. We are now at the level of contracting and at the level of future dealings that significantly exceed those in the previous years, Lijaković concluded.

Products of the Serbian defence industry are exhibited within the area of 710 square meters, at the biggest stand in the main hall at EUROSATORY Military Technology Trade Fair. The presentation at the French fair aims to showcase the capabilities of the Serbian defence industry and Yugoimport-SDPR's development and production programmes.