04.07.2024.
Distinguished Visitors Day at Joint Tactical Live Firing Exercise “Fire Strike 2024”.
Today, at the Military compound “Pasuljanske livade”, Distinguished Visitors Day was held in the framework of Joint Tactical Live Firing Exercise “Fire Strike 2024”, which was attended by President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić and Chief of General Staff General Milan Mojsilović.
According to the president of Serbia, today's exercise was dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles and link they establish with other systems. He evaluated the exercise as “very good” and stated that he was extremely proud of everything that was presented that day adding that a lot had been done for the first time.
- Today, for the first time we have had an opportunity to see the action of “mosquito 2” and “SM-1” drones, and then ammunition resupply done by “Small Miloš”. We witnessed superb shots from “PASARS” and “Kornet” systems, where they hit enemy tanks with unbelievable precision. You have seen the action of “Orao” aeroplane, then helicopters, and the snipers, and special forces members were fantastic. I congratulate everyone who has participated in this exercise - the president of Serbia said adding that there was still a lot to be done, to build, purchase, and stressed that he expected that the first batch of 1000 domestically produced “mosquitos” would be completed by September.
President Vučić expressed his gratitude to friends from Hungary, who were present at today’s exercise and added that the cooperation between Serbia and Hungary grew ever closer. He expressed his belief that the cooperation between the two armed forces would get even closer at bilateral level not joining any alliances.
Assistant Minister of Defence for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović, PhD, pointed out that the purpose of such exercises, particularly for us as a militarily neutral country, was to fine tune the doctrine and train the armed forces. Speaking about today's exercise, he underlined that he was proud of the achievements of national defence industry that was capable of keeping up with the most developed countries in terms of technology.
- Our neutral position enables us to independently develop the principles of combat actions, doctrine and armament. We are making a rather good progress in mastering new generations of weapons and procedures and ways of executing combat actions. Today, we have seen several types of loitering ammunition, one of them being the drone “SM-1” which can perform several missions. That is a novelty in our armed forces and they were operated by members of an artillery brigade. We have also seen the drone dubbed “Wasp” that flew, fired, and hit its target, and you have also seen 10 launched drones called “Mosquito” that hit the target. We have seen a lot of things, because, when you are developing arms, you have to develop the counter-arms, and we have all of it - Assistant Minister Miloradović stated.
The topic of today’s exercise was the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance and provision of fire support to units in circumstances of modern combat actions.
The exercise “Fire Strike 2024” involved units of the Army, Air Force and Air Defence, special operations and electronic warfare forces, as well as members of the Military Technical Institute.
The general objective of the exercise was to improve the capability of collecting and distributing intelligence data and fire support effectiveness on the modern battlefield as well as to check the functioning of the organization and units of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The exercise started with the action of enemy combat unmanned aerial vehicles and kamikaze drones against the elements of battle disposition of our forces. For successful neutralisation of enemy unmanned aerial vehicles our forces engaged a platoon of Air Defence artillery-rocket system “PANTSIR S1” and a platoon of artillery-rocket system “PASARS” reinforced by missile section “STRELA 2M” and section “MTU-4” on NTV Zastava vehicle.
Then, the enemy, aiming to disrupt the defence system of our forces thus creating conditions for unhindered movement, engaged a swarm of kamikaze drones that were neutralised by artillery-rocket sections of “PANTSIR S1” and “PASARS” systems.
With a view to gather information on the enemy disposition, air reconnaissance was performed by remotely piloted aircraft SN-95 and with the engagement of unmanned aircraft “Sparrow”. Having detected a sabotage group that used drones for the surveillance of our forces, teams of 72nd Special Operations Brigade were engaged to neutralise them.
Enemy continued using unmanned aerial vehicles for air surveillance of our forces. To detect and provide protection against enemy unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, our forces used an electronic warfare kit “Kobac” and mobile radio-jammers “anti-drone rifles” that are used to force enemy unmanned aerial vehicles and drones to launch their own safety mechanisms: returning the aircraft to its starting point, landing or hovering in one point.
To gather information about enemy movement, our forces engaged unmanned aircraft “Sparrow” and reconnaissance drones. Gathered information from all engaged sensors of reconnaissance units were sent to the commander in combat armoured vehicle BOV KIV, wherefrom they were sent to tactical group command post.
At the same time, to conduct ground reconnaissance, our forces used “mobile reconnaissance multisensory kit KMI-1” and “a multisensory reconnaissance kit mounted on modified vehicle hummwee KMI-2”, as well as remotely controlled unmanned platform “Small Miloš”, the use of which multiply enhanced the situational awareness, efficiency, and speed of command.
In the continuation of the exercise, enemy movement was detected which was responded to by successful engagement of kamikaze drones “Mosquito”, as well from armoured combat vehicles BRDM-2MS and hummwee, while “Small Miloš” platforms and sniper pairs engaged the enemy.
During reconnaissance, enemy armoured units’ positions were discovered and they were assaulted by kamikaze drones “Mosquito”, anti-armour missiles of “Kornet” system, and by “Small Miloš” platform. To prevent enemy forward movement, our forces engaged artillery and artillery-rocket group from 155mm self-propelled howitzer guns “Nora B-52”, 122mm self-propelled howitzers M21 “Gvozdika”, multi-barrel rocket launchers “Oganj”M-17 and “Oganj” M-18 and 120mm mortars, while the guidance was performed using remotely piloted aircraft SN-95 and drones “Sparrow” and “IVD-23”.
To isolate the battlefield, and inflict as heavy enemy losses as possible, and prevent him from introducing armoured-mechanised units, our forces used “Orao” aeroplanes, while assault helicopters Mi-35 and “Gamma” provided immediate defensive fire support.
According to exercise scenario, with a view to conducting fire preparations for counterattack, action of kamikaze drones “Mosquito”, “SM-1” and “Wasp” ensued, accompanied by drone bombers “BD-20” and “Sparrow”, and the engagement of combat armoured vehicles BRDM-2MS, hummwees, BTR-80, “Lazar - 3” and MRAP.
In order to exploit the achieved success and finally neutralise the enemy, reserves were introduced in combat. The counterattack was executed by a reconnaissance platoon on combat vehicles BRDM-2MS and tank platoon reinforced by one mechanised section, and a rifle platoon on combat vehicles “Lazar - 3”, assisted by a platoon for the support to infantry company and mechanised platoon.
After the execution of the counterattack, due to high intensity combat actions, it was necessary to conduct the resupply some units with ordnance, which was done by the engagement of transport aeroplane An-26 of the Air Force and Air Defence and unmanned platforms.
Exercise observers had the opportunity to see the engagement of drones for radiological detection of contaminated soil, for reconnaissance of traffic accident and fire in the area of operation, and fire extinguishing done using helicopter “Mi-17”.
The assets used in the exercise include tanks Tank M-84 AS1/2, BVP M80AB1/2, armoured fighting vehicle “Lazar-3”, “Miloš” 4x4 and hummwees, MRAP, BRDM2MS, BOV KIV with DUBS, Air Defence systems “PASARS” and “PANTSER S1”, rocket launchers “Oganj” M-17, “oganj” M-18, 155mm self-propelled howitzer gun “Nora-B52”, 122mm modernised self-propelled howitzer “Gvozdika”, anti-armour system “Kornet” and modernised surveillance-acquisition radar “Giraffe”.
The aircraft used in the exercise included “Orao” aeroplane, transport aeroplane An-26, helicopters “Mi-35”, “Gamma”, “Mi-17” and remotely piloted aircraft SN-95.
Also, unmanned aircraft and drones “Sparrow”, “Mosquito”, “Wasp”, “SM-1”, “BD 20” were used along with the systems for the protection and jamming of unmanned aircraft.
