Serbia Opens Israeli Combat Drone Factory

“I opened a factory assembling state-of-the-art Israeli-made drones,” Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić wrote on Instagram, posting footage of a tour with Israeli ambassador Avivit Bar-Ilan. The Simanovci plant, about 30 km west of Belgrade, is owned 51% by Elbit Systems and 49% by state arms producer Jugoimport SDPR and employs about 100 people. It will supply Serbia and other countries’ armed forces. Vučić said warheads would be made at the Krusik weapons factory and added: “Our plans are huge. We believe that with our Israeli partners we will open at least three more factories across Serbia.” Planned drones include a short-range high-payload rotating-wing aircraft and a faster longer-range model with a flight ceiling over 6 kilometers. Elbit deals total $335 million from 2024 and $1.6 billion from 2025 for drones, long-range missiles, electronic warfare systems and command-and-control platforms. BIRN and Haaretz put Serbian arms exports to Israel at 42.3 million euros in 2024, up from 1.4 million in 2023. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said on a Serbia visit that Belgrade remained one of Israel’s “most steadfast and determined allies.”