Serbia Opens Israeli Drone Assembly Plant, Plans Three More

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić inaugurated a factory for assembling combat drones designed in Israel, signaling an expansion of defense cooperation between the two nations. The project is a collaboration between Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems and the state-owned Serbian company Yugoimport SDPR. Vučić announced plans to establish at least three additional factories across Serbia.

The new facility is expected to employ around 100 people and will supply advanced equipment to the Serbian military and armed forces in other countries. President Vučić described the drones as capable of entering buildings and pursuing targets, quoting him as saying they "penetrate windows and chase the adversary." He announced the opening on Instagram on Thursday, explaining that the need to protect sensitive production processes prevented media invitations.

This initiative follows Vučić's April announcement of a joint venture to produce drones with Israel, aimed at bolstering Serbia's defense capabilities and increasing its arms exports. This partnership builds upon previous deals where Serbia acquired Israeli military equipment. According to Reuters, Serbia purchased Elbit's PULS artillery systems and Hermes drones for $335 million in early 2025. Further deals totaling approximately $1.6 billion, including long-range missiles, drones, and electronic warfare equipment, were made in August of the same year.