Serbian Air Force and Air Defense Modernization
Serbian Air Force is currently overhauling the last MiG-29 aircraft of totally five of them, which were overhauled. . The National Investment Plan has approved AbOUT 10 million € for an overhaul of five MiG-29s, 7,6 million € for an overhaul and modernization of two Mi-24 Hind gunship helicopters, 2,4 million € for an overhaul of three Mi-8T cargo helicopters, while the NIP gave last year 1,5 million € for modernization of one An-26 tactical transport aircraft. The overhaul/modernization of one An-26, four MiG-29s and one Yak-40 is completed, the overhaul of three Mi-8s will be done until September 2008, and Mi-24 and Mi-17 helicopter will be sent to Russia. Also, one more An-26 will be sent to Russia to be overhauled.
Currently the Air Defense have in plan to modernize the Neva and Kub SAM's, and replace old Utva 75 trainers with new Lasta 95 aircraft. Advancement of infrastructure was the repair of runway No.3 at Batajnica Air Base and planned repair of 126. VOJIN center.
The Air Force will get 14 - 20 fighters to replace MiG-21's and 10-15 new helicopters to replace Mi-8 after 2014.
The Commander of Serbian Air Force and Air Defense, Major-General Dragan Katanić has said in interview to media agency "Beta" that Air Force is planning to buy two new Mi-17 multi-role medium helicopters from Russia and also to modernize 15 G-4 Super Galeb trainer/light attack jet aircraft. As the Major-General Katanić said, the Mi-17 Hip helicopter is selected because it's optimum for military and civilian necessaries, because it can be used also for fire-fight duties and a lot of Serbian helicopter pilots and mechanics have a lot experience on older Mi-8 Hip helicopters, so the training and education of them won't be so expensive. Katanjić also said that the Serbian Ministry of defense will decide which foreign company will do the modernization and digitalization of G-4 Galeb aircraft. Upgrades include the most modern electronic equipment which will enable the use of Smart bombs and laser guided missiles. The modernized G-4's should stay in service until 2030, while the other, non modernized G-4s will stay in service until 2015.
Possible Orders
! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"| Variants ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Number ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes |-
|----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | 20 new jet fighter aircrafts |----- | Sukhoi Su-37 | | | Multirole Fighter | Sukhoi Su-37 | 20 | 20 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | or |----- | JAS 39 Gripen | | | JAS 39 Gripen | 20 | 20 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | or |----- | F-16 Fighting Falcon | | | F-16C/D | 20 | 20 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | or |----- | Mikoyan MiG-29 | | | Fighter Aircraft | MiG-29SMT | 20 | 20 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | 15 New helicopters |----- | SA 330 Puma | | | transport/utility helicopter | SA 330 Puma | 15 | 15 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | or |----- | Mil Mi-38 | | | cargo helicopter | Mil Mi-38 | 15 | 15 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | 5 new transport arcraft |----- | C-130 Hercules | | | Military transport aircraft | C-130J | 5 | 5 if chosen |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | or |----- | C-27J Spartan | | | Military transport aircraft | C-27J | 5 | 5 if chosen |----- |}
Mobile Equipment
The replacement of obsolete equipment is a dominant part of the reform protocol. A lot of the existing arsenal and equipment are composed from the Yugoslav era.
The Air Force was until recently the most neglected branch of the armed forces. The injection of capital has helped strengthen the youngest branch in the army. Serbia will acquire 24 to 30 new multi-role fighter aircraft to replace the aging MiG-21 squadron which is due to retire in 2010. A tender for the replacement will be announced in 2011 and completed by 2014. At present the air force has modernized MiG-29s. The air force will also modernize 15 G-4 Super Galeb's toG-4MD standard. Tenders for new transport helicopters and aircraft will be announced before 2011. The transport helicopters are to be used for medical transportation for peacekeeping missions.
Serbia has a long history of domestic aerospace development and is currently developing laser guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles for both domestic use and export.
Serbia has acquired Israeli made UAV's to meet current needs.
Acquisition of trainer aircraft
Lasta 95 is the new trainer aircraft used for teaching new military pilots the fundamentals of airplane flying. This new model of the plane, Lasta 95, is symbolic because it will be the first airplane fully produced in Serbia in more than a decade. The airplane is equipped with modern equipment including GPS navigation. It has the capability of carrying air to air and air to surface rockets, cannons and bombs, that are used for training. This makes a transition to advanced military airplanes such as G-4 Super Galeb, Mig 29's easier for military pilots. Additionally, Lasta 95 provides relatively cheaper cost of flying hours. The plane is also relatively inexpensive if it's damaged or destroyed.
G-4M Super Galeb
The air force will modernize 15 G-4 Super Galebs to domestically produced G-4MD standard. G-4 is an trainer/fighter aircraft. There was a tactical study done on the airplane, and it was found that the airplane is competent in modern operations. The tactical study results along with previous modernization plans were combined in a single modernization blueprint. Right now the Ministry of Defense is looking for a strategic partnership that will realize the proposals found in the blueprint. The work is expected to last a couple of years and will mainly focus on the modernization of the cockpit. The upgrades will include improvements in maneuvering, control of weaponry, laser guided weapons, and addition of virtual radars. In the world is customary for the pilots to spend 60% of training hours flying the actual airplane that they will use in combat. The other 40% of the training is done on the top-of-the-line airplanes which are expensive to fly. After the modernization G-4 will be an entirely new airplane, fully digitalized and modernized, with specifications that allow for training and possible military engagements. The modernization will allow the G-4 to be used until 2030 according to Gen.Kantanic.
Anti-aircraft systems
The anti-aircraft systems are well maintained and are "100% operational", as quoted by Gen.Kantanic. In the long-term the entire system will be replaced with modern medium altitude equipment. The current system relies on past generations technology which relies on terminal imaging. It proved effective in certain tasks during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Serbia was a part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Therefore the system will be "lightly modernized" which will not cost a lot yet will provide additional defense capabilities.
Radar system
Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected to modernize air ground radio system communications throughout Serbia. This project was implemented in order to increase the numbers of commercial and military flights that could be monitored in Serbia's airspace. The project commenced on December 2008.