TSAMTO, April 11th. In the next two months, the authorities of Serbia and France intend to conclude an agreement on the supply of 12 new Rafale fighters for the Serbian Air Force and air defense.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced this on April 9 in Paris following meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and representatives of Dassault Aviation.
According to Jane's Defense Weekly, negotiations on the supply of 10 single-seat and two two-seat Rafale fighters for the Serbian Air Force and air defense have been underway for almost three years. It is expected that the delivery package will also include various weapons (including MICA air-to-air guided missiles), a flight simulator, training of flight and technical personnel, as well as a comprehensive logistics support package designed for several years.
The cost of the sale was not disclosed, however, announcing earlier plans to purchase ViVT in 2023, A. Vucic said that the acquisition of a squadron of 12 new Rafale aircraft would cost Serbia about 3 billion. euros ($3.3 billion). Earlier, neighboring Croatia acquired 12 Rafale fighter jets worth about 1 billion. euros from the French Air Force.
Vucic also said that Serbia is seeking to expand cooperation with Airbus and Thales, as well as other French manufacturers. Belgrade previously acquired H-125M helicopters and C-295 aircraft from Airbus, Mistral air defense systems from MBDA and various types of radar from Thales. During his visit to Paris, A. Vucic discussed with the host country the possibility of setting up an enterprise in Serbia to equip Serbian-made H-125M helicopters as part of a broader agreement, which is likely to lead to Serbia purchasing more helicopters to replace outdated Gazelles.
Western media have already announced that the purchase of Rafale in France marks Serbia's departure from Russia, which has long been a traditional supplier of weapons to the Serbian armed forces, and may also worsen political ties between Belgrade and Moscow and force it to switch to pro-Western positions.
On April 10, the Serbian Ministry of Defense rejected as "extremely unfounded and incompetent" allegations that the purchase of Rafale fighter jets is a violation of Serbia's military neutrality, and noted that such statements are aimed at deceiving the public. As stated, Serbia's declared military neutrality provides, first of all, for the country's obligation not to join any existing military alliance, to independently make all decisions on defense issues and bear full responsibility for them.
As stated, in recent years Serbia has purchased modern weapons, including anti-aircraft missile systems, radars, armored vehicles and other equipment in various countries, including Russia, China, the United States, Spain and France. None of these purchases, including the announced purchase of Rafale, is an act of violation of Serbia's military neutrality.
Despite friendly relations with Russia, surrounded on all sides by NATO countries and landlocked Serbia, it is difficult to build a policy independent of major world players. Time will tell how long it will be able to resist the pressure of the collective West.