29.07.2020.

Minister Vulin: In terms of technology and the quality of their members, Air Force and Air Defence are in the same league as their counterparts around the world

Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin, accompanied by the Rector of the University of Defence, Lieutenant General Goran Radovanović, Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Bojan Zrnić and the Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, Major General Duško Žarković, visited the cadets of the Military Academy today at the military airfield “Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović” in Batajnica where they are undergoing flight training on aircraft and helicopters.

- Thanks to the great and personal effort of the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Air Force and Air Defence were saved from collapse, from being abolished, which they were facing only a few years ago. We have aircraft, we have AD and the latest and the best helicopters in the world. However, we must have staff for all that – said Minister Vulin, emphasizing that the huge effort and hard work of all those who take care of the future pilots of the Serbian Armed Forces and cadets of the Military Academy, yield results. He added that today we could see the final stage of training of the fourth and final year cadets of the Military Academy’s Aviation profile, but we could also see the potential new cadets who are undergoing the final stages of testing and who we hope will become a part of our school system, and then a part of our aviation.

According to Minister Vulin, investing in aviation is investing in technology, but it also has to be investing in people.

- Thanks to the decision of the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, pilots’ salaries have been significantly increased. Their income has been aligned with the income of all their colleagues who do the same job, and now we can assume that this is a guarantee, more than before, that they will dedicate themselves only to what they do and only to their very complex and difficult task. Everyone who passes rigorous medical examinations deserves to be a part of our aviation, and I invite all young people to think about it, to visit our academy and see for themselves that it is worth tying your fate to the Air Force and Air Defence – said Minister Vulin, emphasizing that the armed forces will do their best to make their lives better, and the training even more interesting.

Members of the Air Force and Air Defence have the opportunity now to work with the latest and the safest equipment and to be in the same league as their counterparts around the world, says Minister Vulin. He says that in terms of the quality of staff, our AF and AD have always been in the same league as our counterparts around the world, and now we can say that we are in the same league in terms of technology as well. As he points out, Serbian Armed Forces will never allow someone else to defend their sky, like the countries who call on their neighbours to do that for them. Serbia is a free country and we will always protect our own sky, said Minister Vulin.

The Commander of the 252^nd Air Training Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Boško Šerbedžija, explains that currently the flight training of the cadets of the Military Academy and the candidates for Military Academy is being conducted in that unit.

- At the moment selective flying is underway for the candidates of the 145^th Class of the Military Academy on “Utva-75” B53 aircraft; flight training in air navigation and solo flight for the cadets of the 141^st Class of the Military Academy and exams and solo flights on the “Super Galeb” N62 aircraft for the cadets of the 140^th Class of the Military Academy. Tasks are carried out according to plan. Cadets and candidates are fulfilling their obligations and we hope that they will all finish successfully and become our colleagues – said Lieutenant Colonel Šerbedžija.

Dušan Tanasijević, a fifth-year cadet of the 140^th Class of the Military Academy, spoke about the training at the Military Academy before receiving his first officer’s rank.

- During the training, we flew on "Lasta" planes, and after the training we had about 80 flight hours and then we switched to retraining on a G4 plane. The training on it will finish soon and our first solo flights are drawing near, as well as the end of the flight training. We acquired knowledge at the Military Academy, and the professors tried to familiarize us with the aircraft as much as possible and transfer their knowledge - said cadet Tanasijević and added that he and his colleagues from the same class will "become good officers and good pilots".

Sara Nikolić, a fourth-year student of the 44^th Class of the Military Grammar School is undergoing selective training for Aviation study program at the Military Academy.

- We are flying on “Utva 75” planes, and today I expect to have my second flight on this aircraft. I am looking forward to my future calling, I am satisfied with the training and the knowledge that I have acquired so far and I expect to gain further, new flying experiences – said Sara Nikolić.