Serbia plans to open a manufacturing plant with Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems in mid-September to jointly produce drones to modernize its defenses and bolster exports of unmanned systems and military equipment.

Speaking at a press conference during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Belgrade, Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vučić said over the weekend that Serbia will open a drone factory with Israelis around September 15 or September 20. Elbit declined to comment on further details when contacted by The Times of Israel.

As part of the partnership, Elbit will hold a 51 percent majority stake in the UAV plant with Serbia’s SDPR state weapons manufacturer holding the remainder. The facility, planned for the Simanovci industrial zone near Belgrade, is expected to include short-range attack combat drones, alongside the development and production of advanced unmanned systems designed to operate at longer ranges, and advanced electronic warfare systems.

The Balkan country ‌has been buying modern weapons and equipment from Europe, Israel and China as it replaces Soviet-era technology and adapts its military strategy to........

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