14.01.2020.
Significantly improved AF&AD capabilities
Defence minister Aleksandar Vulin and chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović have attended today the analysis of the state of Air Force and Air Defence and their operational and functional capabilities in 2019, which was led by commander of Air Force and Air Defence Major General Duško Žarković, at the Air Force Headquarters building in Zemun.
After analysing the state, it was concluded that 2019 was in many ways significant and successful for the Serbian Air Force and that today the Serbian Air Force is one of the strongest in the region, thanks to the acquisition of MiG-29 aircraft and new helicopters that were purchased after 25 years.In 2019, four Mi-35M combat helicopters, three Mi-17V5 combat transport helicopters, five H-145M multi-purpose helicopters were purchased, and ownership of four MiG-29 aircraft was transferred under Belarus military-technical assistance. Also, in the previous year, 14 Lasta-V54 aircraft were accepted, 10 Orao aircraft were modernised, and the modernisation will continue in 2020.
One of the significant tasks of the last year, whose accomplishment has contributed to the improvement of operational capabilities, is the training of Air Force and Air Defence personnel to work on new assets, which was conducted in the countries from which the assets were procured.
The analysis of the state, operational and functional capabilities showed that the Air Force and Air Defence in 2019 successfully completed all tasks, started a significant modernisation process and achieved visible improvements.
Today's briefing was attended by members of the Collegium of the Minister of Defence and of the Extended Collegium of the Chiefs of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, commanders of brigades, battalions and establishments of the Air Force and Air Defence.
