09.12.2019.
Minister Vulin: With modernised aircraft, the military will be even more powerful
- Our aviation is still fully capable of protecting the safety and security of our skies and our country; however, with new aircraft and modernised planes we will be even more powerful – defence minister Aleksandar Vulin said visiting the works on modernisation of the Eagle aircraft at the ‘Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović’ airfield in Batajnica, today, accompanied by Major General Duško Žarković, AF&AD commander.
The modernisation of the aircraft will make the Serbian Armed Forces even more powerful and stronger, minister Vulin said and added that he was particularly pleased that most of the modernisation will be the result of the work of local experts and local minds, as he says “Only what we make ourselves is essentially ours”.
- We procure state-of-the-art aircraft, modernise what others have produced, but also bring back the domestic minds into full operation. The Eagle modernisation process and the G-4 modernisation process have come a long way and in the very near future I expect that we will be able to provide our military with modernised aircraft for use – minister Vulin said.The 98th Air Brigade commander, Colonel Dejan Vasiljević, said that the modernisation of the Eagle aircraft enables an increase in capability and efficiency of use of the aircraft in all weather conditions, day and night, precision of aiming and reduction of collateral damage. He added that the modernisation would also provide greater safety for the aircraft crew.
- Firing new guided missiles, using advanced avionics, reduces the possibility of targeting the crew that performed the action. The very passive and active protection that the aircraft has, significantly reduces the possibility of actions on the aircraft during the flight and during combat operations – Colonel Vasiljević pointed out.
Deputy commander of the 98th Air Brigade, Colonel Zoran Prodanović said that modernisation of the Eagle aircraft will allow action of planes from greater altitudes and distances, the introduction of modern missiles with different guidance systems within the integrated navigation and attack system, and in general the possibility of survival of aircraft in modern combat operations. Also, better effects are achieved with regard to the use of existing Eagle aircraft armament.- With aircraft upgraded this way and with the weapons to be introduced, some of the next generations of pilots will be able to transfer to other planes and systems very easily and quickly. We will be keeping up with modern aviation and that is one of the ultimate goals that will be achieved with this programme – Colonel Prodanović said.
Today's tour of the works on modernisation of the Eagle aircraft was also attended by Mr Nenad Miloradović, acting assistant minister for Material Resources, Brigadier General Milan Popović, head of the Department for Planning and Development of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Colonel Brane Krnjajic, Commander of the 204th Air Brigade, Colonel Slobodan Ilić, Director of the Technical Test Centre, and Colonel Siniša Radivojević, deputy director of the Moma Stanojlović Aviation Institute.
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