Serbia to spend nearly EUR740 million on new weapons

Serbia is procuring equipment including 81 Miloš II 4×4 multi-purpose armoured combat vehicles (pictured during a live-firing demonstration at the Nikinci testing range on 18 July 2023). (Serbian MoD)

Serbia will spend nearly EUR740 million (USD810. million) in 2024 on new military equipment, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on 13 January during a visit to Serbia's Military Security Agency.

He said, “We currently have EUR186 million of free funds in the bank account of [state-owned intermediary for export/import of defence equipment] Yugoimport SDPR, which we will spend immediately on weapons from the domestic defence industry,” including eight more Nora 8×8 self-propelled gun-howitzers, 81 Miloš II 4×4 multi-purpose armoured combat vehicles, 30 special turrets for the Lazar III 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV); and 26 other (upgraded M80AB1 tracked amphibious) IFVs.

“All this equipment and vehicles should arrive by 2026,” Vučić said, adding that more weapons and military equipment would be procured in 2024 when two additional financial packages – EUR150 million and EUR400 million – become available for procurement for the Serbian Armed Forces. “All these funds are in addition to the EUR360 million already allocated in the Serbian budget to the procurement of additional armaments,” he noted.

Vučić also disclosed that Serbia had received equipment ordered two years ago to interfere with enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and low-flying aircraft.