08.02.2020.
Minister Vulin: New long range radar system in Zlatibor by the end of the year
- Twenty years following the NATO aggression, we are still improving our combat and operational capabilities and are still rebuilding what has been destroyed so that we can respond to all challenges and tasks. Here at the radar position at Zlatibor we are working to restore our capabilities, although of course all these years we have been able to protect the airspace and security and sovereignty of our country, but things need to be improved and upgraded – said the Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin who visited one of the units for Air Surveillance, Early Warning and Guidance in the Zlatibor area with the Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense, Brigadier General Željko Bilić today.
The Minister of Defense announced that by the end of the year, a new long-range radar system would be installed at the Zlatibor radar site.
- We will be capable of far better and more effective surveillance of our skies and our territory and perform just what our purpose here is. During the NATO aggression, the 126th VOJIN Brigade received the Order of the People’s Hero, these are heroes and their successors, and it is up to us to equip them and enable them to continue to do what they are best at - toprotect our skies and guard our country. By the end of the year, long-range radar will be re-deployed at Zlatibor radar position and our country will be even safer and even more stable – said Minister Vulin.
After the briefing of the Commander of the 126th VOJIN Brigade, Colonel Aleksandar Dučić, the Minister visited the radar storage facilities and the operation radar imaging cabin.
Company Commander, Captain Milan Zdravković pointed out that the unit is in continuous operational affiliation within the permanently deployed forces for control and protection of the airspace of the Republic of Serbia.
- In addition to the fundamental tasks, the unit also performs guidance of the fighter aircraft, as well as assisting aircraft when needed. The specificity of this unit is the operation in complex weather conditions – emphasized Captain Zdravković.
When it comes to the unit’s capability, he points out that it is at a high level and that intensive work is being done to train radar operatorsfor the introduction of the new radar system.
Also on the radar position is Sergeant Vidomir Arsenijević, a computer technician in the automation department.
- I am in charge of maintaining the radar-computer equipment within operation radar imaging cabin of the radar system. We try to keep the assets correctaround the clock, 365 days a year, and that is what we achieve - said Sergeant Arsenijević.
Continuous surveillance of the airspace in the area of responsibility, guiding fighter aircraft in action, providing navigational assistance to aircraft and guiding artillery and missile anti-aircraft units to airborne targets are only part of the tasks performed by the 126th unit of the VOJIN Brigade.
The Brigade’s area of responsibility is the complete airspace of the Republic of Serbia, and it distributes information on the situation in the airspace to all users in the defense system.
