Why UAE would invest in LIFT project with country like Serbia. First UAE and Serbia are talking about more comprehensive deal that also includes UAE investing in Serbian agriculture…desert does not produce food, and food is becoming more and more valuable commodity on the world market. It looks like UAE would like to be independent on that subject. Also over last couple of years UAE has invested $6 billion USD in building plant for CPU manufacturing. They have purchased technology from AMD for CPU and GPU and formed company called GlobalFoundries that is based in UAE. It looks to me UAE is looking in to distant post oil future and they know it will be quite important to diversify industry.
If we take what Italy is offering, it is only final assembly, and all evidence from other industry sectors points in direction that indicates UAE would like to have OEM and R&D capability. Perhaps that is reason why Serbia see some chance in securing a deal.At the end of the day former Yugoslavia and in particular Serbia has spend almost a decade researching and formulating technological and manufacturing requirements for Novi Avion project..that must count for something and must have some financial value.
It is quite difference between buying or manufacturing high technology. Even I can go out buy all components for PC , make one and call myself “manufacturer” while in reality I am nothing better than simple assembler.

I think following article explains bit more , but also creates yet another question.
“The members of the two delegations discussed the possibilities for marketing of Serbian weapons and ammunition in the United Arab Emirates, joint projects for the development and production of missile systems and supersonic aircraft simulators.”
http://www.mod.gov.rs/novi_eng.php?action=fullnews&id=3697

So media have managed to drop out of the article one small word that changes everything – “simulator”

So new question is :Serbia can manufacture simulators? Something like dome simulators?

Sutanovac: Serbian weapons and U.S. Humvees for military

05. January 2012. | 08:39

Source: Tanjug

Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac has said that the Armed Forces will get weapons and equipment mostly from Serbian companies in 2012, adding that the U.S. is expected to donate 21 Humvees.

Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac has said that the Armed Forces will get weapons and equipment mostly from Serbian companies in 2012, adding that the U.S. is expected to donate 21 Humvees.

The acquisition plan for 2012 is being completed, and the biggest part of the funds should be spent on Serbian products, including lorries and new uniforms, Sutanovac told Tanjug.

According to him, there are plans to develop a modern four-wheel drive vehicle for the military, and posssibly the police.

Serbia also expects a donation of 21 Humvees in April, which were specially ordered by the Armed Forces, the minister stated.

The vehicles will be given to a special unit within the military, which will then become the best equipped unit of its type in Europe, he noted.

Commenting on the need to buy new combat jets, Sutanovac pointed out that the military had not received new multi-purpose aircraft in 25 years and that the existing aircraft were running out of resources.

“This means we have to buy some aircraft in the future, because if we do not have them, we will have to pay someone else to protect our sky, according to European regulations,” he explained.

“We wish to buy new helicopters as well, which we need for both military and civilian purposes. I think we will start purchasing helicopters during 2012,” he remarked. He also mentioned continued participation in peacekeeping missions as part of the plans for this year, which would serve as a presentation of the Armed Forces and a demonstration of the political will to help solve issues that pose a problem to the world.

There have been discussions about sending Serbian soldiers to South Sudan and increasing the current contingents in Cyprus and Lebanon, as well as continuing Serbia’s involvement in another three missions, Sutanovac revealed.

According to him, the stand-by arrangement with the UN on participation in peacekeeping missions allows the UN to decide the priorities in that domain, that is where Serbia’s participation would be most beneficial.

“We are talking to the EU as well and if they state some priorities, we are definitely going to analyze them and join the operations,” said Sutanovac.

He described the cooperation with KFOR in Kosovo as being at a high level.

“Even with all the incidents in the past, we are trying and succeeding in maintaining a high level of cooperation with KFOR and we feel KFOR is still a factor of stability in Kosovo,” he stated.

Without KFOR, the situation would already be extremely difficult, he believes, adding that there would have probably been conflicts in Kosovo

http://www.emg.rs/en/news/serbia/172150.html

Serb air force seeks new fighter jets

Belgrade seeks around a dozen aircraft

* Deal would cost a billion euros

By Aleksandar Vasovic

BELGRADE, Dec 16 (Reuters) – The Serbian air force, left with just a handful of operational planes after wars in the 1990s, wants to buy a dozen aircraft at a cost of around 1 billion euros (1.3 billion), a defence official said on Friday.

“The procurement of two squadrons, weapons systems, spares and training will likely require additional borrowing,” said the official, who asked not to be named. “Parliamentary approval would be needed.”

“We would ideally need between 12 and 16 new planes to secure our air space,” he said. “A billion euros would do.”

In an interview with the Odbrana defence bi-weekly published on Friday, Serbia’s air force commander Brigadier General Ranko Zivak said the defence ministry would invite foreign manufacturers next year to make offers.

Serbia’s military budget accounted for about 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) or about 1.15 billion euros in 2011 and next year’s military budget will likely stay the same.

The source did not elaborate on how Serbia would secure borrowing and stay below a public debt lid set at 45 percent of GDP and within fiscal rules which form part of a 18-month 1 billion euro stand-by deal with the International Monetary Fund.

Serbia’s military aviation, a successor of former communist Yugoslavia’s air force, has been plagued by obsolescence and a lack of aircraft for more than two decades.

It fell into disrepair during a United Nations weapons embargo in the 1990s over Serbia’s role in wars in other parts of ex-Yugoslavia. Most of its modern Soviet-built MIG 29 fighters were destroyed by NATO during a 1999 bombing campaign to end the Kosovo war.

The Serbian fighter force is currently comprised of three MIG 29s and about a dozen obsolete MIG 21s which will end service by end-2012. In the interview, Zivak said the defense ministry would finalise purchase plans this month.

Top Serbian defence officials have said the country was evaluating Russian Sukhoi Su-30, the United States-made F16 and F18, France’s Rafalle, Sweden’s JAS Gripen, Chinese JF-17 or the internationally-made Eurofighter.

“Perhaps the best option would be a lease-to-buy deal, but that remains to be seen,” the defence official said.

Belgrade also has to decide whether it will buy planes from NATO countries or its allies Russia and China.

After the ouster of former autocratic President Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, Serbia sought to improve relations with NATO, but retained military neutrality. ($1 = 0.7694 euros) (Reporting By Aleksandar Vasovic; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/16/serbia-airforce-idUSL6E7NG2G020111216

Not quite the case. The good Colonel will know that even after the ceiling was imposed that manned aircraft were permitted to go lower. Even when permitted to go lower none of these aircraft were annihilated.

TJ

I do not know TJ,I am just quoting what others are saying. I just want to add that when somebody who was there at the time is saying “this and this has happened” and that person is none other than main planner for entire operation, I think it would be arrogant of me not to listen and not take his views in to account

I have found following article ….
http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj02/sum02/lambeth.html

“Despite that expenditure of assets, enemy fire downed only two NATO aircraft- the F-117 mentioned above and, later, an F-16- although another F-117 sustained light damage from a nearby SA-3 detonation and two A-10s were hit by enemy AAA fire but not downed.34 Also, in two reported cases short-range, infrared-guided missiles hit A-10s, one of the missiles apparently striking the bottom of the aircraft, defusing itself, and bouncing off harmlessly.35 US and NATO aircraft fired at least 743 HARMs against radars supporting these enemy SAMs.36 Yet, enough of the Serb IADS remained intact- mainly the persistent AAA and MANPADS threat- to require NATO fighters to operate above a 15,000-foot floor throughout most of the air effort. Although allied pilots could effectively counter the older SA-7 with flares if they saw it in time, the SA-9/13, SA-14, SA-16, and SA-18 presented a more formidable threat.”

So ..
Confirmed kills :
1 x F-117
1 x F-16CJ

Combat damage:
1 x F-117 (again SA-3…same unit?)
2 x A-10 (AAA)

Hit – no damage
1 x A10 (MANPAD)

If anyone can contribute to this list , please do so , but please just confirmed kill/combat damage ( please no propaganda , please no copy and paste from Venik and similar sources)