13.07.2020.

The Ministry of Defence Ordered New “NORAs”, “LAZARs” and “MILOŠs”

Today, Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin visited the plants of the factory “Complex Combat Systems” in Velika Plana, and the occasion for the visit was recently signed framework agreement for equipping of the Serbian Armed Forces with the armoured 8x8 fighting vehicles “LAZAR-3” and self-propelled howitzer-guns 155mm NORA B-52 M15.

During today’s visit, apart from familiarisation with degree of implementation of the agreement for equipping the Serbian Armed Forces with those complex combat systems, Minister Vulin was also informed about the progress made in the framework of training on mastering welding technologies for the workers from the newly opened factory for metal machining within “Complex Combat Systems Ltd.” near Kuršumlija. The workers will put their knowledge to use for the production of armoured fighting vehicles 8x8 “LAZAR-3” and 4x4 “MILOŠ”.

As Minister Vulin pointed out, the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces would always and foremost purchase the products of our defence industry.

- Investment in national knowledge, national economy always pays back, and when you master technology, no one can take that away from you, and then you are truly free and autonomous and you do not depend on anyone. The Serbian Armed Forces have procured a suitable quantity of NORAs, and good news for our citizens is that, in accordance with orders of Supreme Commander Aleksandar Vučić, the Ministry of Defence has provided sufficient funds for the second tranche of 155mm NORA B52. By procuring new “NORAs”, and “MILOŠs” once they are introduced into organic arms of the Serbian Armed Forces, and with further procurement of “LAZAR-3”, our armed forces will be far stronger than they have been so far - the minister of defence said and added that we were equipped not only with the new assets, but with the state-of-the-art assets, and that all the equipment was produced in line with the requirements of the Serbian Armed Forces and precisely how the end user - the Serbian Armed Forces determined and decided that they should be like.

- In a very short time period, we will come in front of the citizens of Serbia with new NORAs and MILOŠs and LAZARs, which will reinforce the fighting power of our armed forces, thus enabling and ensuring that Serbia is a free, independent country, capable of making its own decisions. We will not be disturbed by any senseless protests, and we will not be stopped by some hooligans who set the National Assembly on fire, or by someone who believes that he should make decisions about Serbia, instead of Serbia deciding for itself - Minister Vulin stated.

Following the tour, Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović stressed that they toured the line for production of complex combat systems contracted for the requirements of the Serbian Armed Forces. He reminded that in the previous year a framework agreement had been contracted with “Jugoimport” for the production of self-propelled howitzers NORA, and a framework agreement for the production of armoured fighting vehicles “LAZAR”.

- This year, we have contracted the second tranche of NORA howitzers, and we have witnessed the production of main metal positions and barrels, which make the essence of every artillery weapon. It is expected that the third tranche will be contracted in this quarter, which would conclude the first phase of equipping the Serbian Armed Forces with this self-propelled weapon - Miloradović said and, regarding the armoured transport vehicle “LAZAR”, he added that the second tranche of those vehicles had been deliver in the course of the year.

Their fielding to the Serbian Armed Forces has been completed, and we are in the process of contracting the second tranche.

- Another tranche is expected to be contracted by the end of the year, and that is a greater framework agreement and its duration is going to be a bit longer. All upgrades that have been done on that system in the meantime are being implemented on those that will be delivered to the armed forces. Also, this factory is where the final assembly is done of the armoured fighter vehicle 4x4 “MILOŠ” and where the final tests are carried out for the purpose of introducing it in the Serbian Armed Forces. One more test remains to be done, while other tests have been conducted, and as it is known the Technical Testing Centre rather rigorously tests weapons, especially such complex systems which are expected to result in significant advancement of capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces. We expect this process to be finalised within a month and it is planned to contract the first series of the vehicle “MILOŠ” in the course of this year - Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović stressed.

According to Director of the factory “Complex Combat Systems” Ognjen Oliverić, today’s visit was an opportunity to present the ongoing production in the factory plants and to visit the workers who have come from the plant of that factory in Kuršumlija to attend training in locksmith-welding plant in Velika Plana.

- At this moment, the plant is producing main metal components for the projects NORA and LAZAR for the Serbian Armed Forces. We have also toured assembly halls where they demonstrated the process of assembling precisely those NORAs and they also demonstrated the assembly of MILOŠ and LAZAR as well. That is current export programme and programme for our defence industry, and equipping of the Serbian Armed Forces and Police - Oliverić said.

President of Velika Plana municipality Igor Matković spoke about the importance of that factory for the municipality, and reminded that President Aleksandar Vučić had opened that factory in 2012 and promised that it would be built in four phases.

- Today, we have witnessed that everything that he said has been fulfilled and done, and that our fellow citizens have a place where to work, they have stable and good salaries, they have exceptional working conditions and they produce here the state-of-the-art weapons of the world. We are a municipality which is proud of its president and of all employees who work in this factory, and we hope that our state will continue pursuing a good course and that our municipality will continue its development just like our Serbia - Matković stated.

Rade Petrović from Kuršumlija, employed in this factory’s plant in that town is attending the training at the testing ground of “Complex Combat Systems”.

- I am attending welding training here. The training is going to be conducted in the upcoming period as well, and we are here with our older colleagues who are training us and showing us the welding procedure. We are satisfied with both the colleagues, managers and the company itself - Rade Petrović stated.

The visit was also attended by State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Bojan Jocić, Director of SDPR Jugoimport, Jugoslav Petković and representatives of the local self-government.