Serbia displayed new Chinese surface-to-air missiles and other military hardware purchased from Russia and the West on Saturday.
At the Batajnica military airfield outside Belgrade, Chinese and French missiles, as well as Chinese armed drones and Russian MiG-29 jets, were lined up for the media and public.
Serbia received the Chinese FK-3 surface-to-air missile system and CH-92A combat drones earlier this month, making it the only European country with both systems.
President Aleksandar Vucic remarked, “I am pleased of the Serbian army and its success.”
Serbia plans to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France by “the beginning of next year,” according to him, and is also in talks with Britain about Eurofighter Typhoon planes.
Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s presidency, also attended the event.
He hailed the display as “proof of how much Serbia has progressed in terms of combat readiness.”
“With this army, Serbia can defend its people and be a deterrent. This is something that fills the hearts of all Serbs (with pride),” he said.
Earlier this month, Serbia reaffirmed its intention to purchase Turkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 combat drones, which have been in high demand around the world.
Countries including Ukraine, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Poland have already purchased the drones, with Poland becoming the first EU and NATO member state to acquire drones from Turkiye last May