Opening of the International Armament and Military Equipment Fair „PARTNER 2023“
Today the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Miloš Vučević, has opened 11th International Armament and Military Equipment Fair ‘PARTNER 2023’.
Attending the opening of the fair were the representatives of the National Assembly of Serbia, ministers in the Serbian Government, representatives of the Ministry of Defense and Serbian Armed Forces, diplomatic corps and military attachés, management of Jugoimport-SDPR, representatives of the companies comprising Serbian Defense Industry, business and public figures, and numerous foreign delegations.
Welcoming the attendees, Minister Vučević has pointed out that the armament and military equipment fair „PARTNER” shows a continuous growth in the number of exhibitors, newly launched and well-known weapons and defense equipment, but also in the number of business associates and visitors attending it. According to him, „Partner 2023” has presented more than 170 various heavy weapons and materiel.
The increased number of novelties at this fair, compared to the previous ones, justifies the constant and continuous growth of our defense technologies. There were several new anti-aircraft and anti-drone systems, unmanned, ground, and aerial platforms, as well as a number of new types of ammunition with enhanced characteristics.
The premiere of the latest local product, next generation artillery system „Perun”, is already seen as the new trump card of the Serbian defense industry to be played at the global market. Also presented were the upgraded versions of wheeled combat vehicles from the families „Lazar”, „Miloš”, MRAP, and BOV (armored personnel carrier), as well as the modernized infantry fighting vehicle BVP M 80A and the tank M 84 AS2.
Ministry of defense has highlighted the fact that 70 new items have been introduced in the army service in the period between the two fairs, out of which 22 are produced in series, one of them being the armed personnel carrier “Lazar 3M” from the product range of Jugoimport-SDPR.
He noted that, except for the locally produced complex combat systems which are continuously procured to it, the Serbian Armed Forces shall have received by the end of the year a significant amounts of new small arms, electronic & optical systems, new enhanced artillery, mortar, and small arms ammunition, bulletproof protective equipment, uniforms, and other equipment.
During the opening ceremony, the guests were given a video presentation on the accomplishments of the Defense Industry of the Republic of Serbia.
Having concluded the opening ceremony of the fair, Minister Vučević and Gen. Mojsilović, accompanied by the Assistant Minister of Defense, Mr. Nenad Miloradović, and the management of Jugoimport-SDPR, have taken a tour through the exhibition set inside the halls of the Belgrade Fair, taking the opportunity to visit the stands of both local and foreign exhibitors.
