20.09.2024.
Serbian Armed Forces’ Capabilities Demonstration “Flag 2024” held
The demonstration of the Serbian Armed Forces’ capabilities "Flag 2024", which was attended by the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Gen. Milan Mojsilović, was held today at the military airport Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlović in Batajnica.
The demonstration was attended by the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović, Prime Minister of Serbia Miloš Vučević, President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska Nenad Stevandić, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Višković and Serbian government ministers.After the demonstration, President Vučić said that he was proud of the Serbian Armed Forces and everything they had done.
- There is no field in which we have made such dramatic progress as in the Serbian Armed Forces and the soldiers’ financial situation. Do not forget that, only ten years ago, a soldier’s average salary was 330 euros, and today it is almost four times higher. That's amazing progress. Not to mention the weapons and equipment. Today, I’ve seen Alas missiles that we have worked on for a long time, for eight or nine years, one of the best missiles in the world - said President Vučić.
He said that “four and a half times more drones have been displayed today than at the previous capabilities demonstration” and thanked the Military Technical Institute personnel for working around the clock.- We have produced the first 1,000 mosquito kamikaze drones that do not carry a large load or a large amount of explosives, but can cause huge damage and mad panic among enemy ranks. We have the first 1,000 pieces, we have brought 500 of them to showcase them here - said President Vučić, thanking private enterprises and Yugoimport for the assets showcased at today's display.
After taking a tour of the display, President Vučić said that “today, the defence industry companies are doing better”.- These are impressive results. You could also see our aircraft. Our air fleet has never been this big and it will soon be reinforced, in just three or four years, with 12 state-of-the-art Rafale fighters, but we will not stop there. We have already ordered new multiple rocket launchers from abroad, but we will also procure some of the assets that will be dominant and create both a strategic and tactical advantage for the Republic of Serbia. All this is being done with the aim to deter any potential aggressors from attacking our territory, because, as it is well known, Serbia has no aggressive or offensive intentions - said the President of Serbia.
President Vučić said that he was proud of the armed forces for the huge progress they had made and announced the decision to introduce mandatory military service.- I expect that at today’s Government session, the decision to introduce mandatory military service lasting for 60 plus 15 days, 75 days in total, will be adopted. A five times shorter period than in our time, and I don't need to say this, but going out will certainly be much easier than it was in our time and the discipline much less strict, but it will still have to exist. We think that in this way boys will become more responsible, serious, they will become men. We also believe that a considerable number of girls will apply for voluntary military service, but for men it will be mandatory - stressed President Vučić.
The President of Serbia concluded his speech by saying that “at today's display, about 1,000 more assets have been displayed than at the previous one, as well as the largest number of equipped and highly motivated soldiers in one place”.The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said that “today's event is very important, because it bolsters morale among the people, which in turn increases their loyalty to the state” and added that “Serbia's progress is impressive”.
- The equipment, the soldiers’ morale, their readiness to defend and the patriotism they demonstrated while conducting today’s exercise, are very important. This is an indication suggesting that they are financially stable and that all aspects are taken care of here in Serbia - emphasized the President of Republika Srpska and congratulated everyone on taking part in the impressive demonstration and on building even stronger Serbian Armed Forces.
More than 6,000 members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, approximately 2,500 pieces of weapons and military equipment and more than 50 aircraft were involved in today’s event, and visitors could watch an air show, a demonstration of Special Forces’ and Air Force and Air Defence’s capabilities, as well as a march-past conducted by the Serbian Armed Forces units.At the beginning of "Flag 2024" capabilities demonstration, members of the 63rd Parachute Brigade performed a parachuting demonstration by jumping from an H-145M helicopter, carrying the flags of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Armed Forces.
This was followed by a demonstration of defensive and offensive manoeuvers used by a pair of MiG-29 aircraft in close air combat. After that, Orao (Eagle) and Supergaleb (Super Seagull) aircraft demonstrated close air support, and then Mi-35 combat helicopters engaged the enemy, preparing the area for airborne landings.
Following the close air support, conditions were created for airborne landings. Special Forces teams landed from a Mi-8 helicopter using the fast roping technique, rappelled from a Mi-17 helicopter, and used a combination of Touch and Go and rappel techniques to land from a H-145M helicopter.During the demonstration of airborne landings, Special Forces riding on quads and Mali Miloš unmanned platforms provided fire support, and Gama helicopters were in charge of ensuring area security.
Next, members of the Serbian Armed Forces units conducted a march-past, involving sub-echelons of the Army, the Training Command, the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, the 63rd Parachute Brigade, the Special Purpose MP Detachment "Kobre" and reconnaissance units.This was followed by flyovers performed by echelons of MiG-29, Orao, Supergaleb and CASA 295 planes, and Mi-35, Mi-17, Mi-8, H-145 and Gama helicopters.
The visitors could see state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment the Serbian Armed Forces are equipped with, as well as some of the assets that are being developed by domestic defence industry companies.
The display in Batajnica also showcased FK-3, HQ-17 and Pantsir air-defence missile systems, UAVs, GM400 and GM200radar systems, Kornet anti-tank missile systems, Miloš, Lazar-3, BOV OT, MRAP, Hammer, BearCat, BRDM-2MS, BTR-80A armoured combat vehicles, quads, Mali Miloš unmanned vehicles and drone jammers.Numerous artillery assets were also on display, including the 155 mm NORA B-52 self-propelled howitzer, the modernized 122 mm Gvozdika howitzer, the modernized KOT armoured personnel carrier, Oganj, Tamnava and Perun modular rocket launchers, 122 mm Sora 2 self-propelled howitzer and the universal mobile artillery computer station UPARS.
