That would be my guess. At the moment they are operating several types, UTVA-75A for basic training, G-4 jet trainer / light ground attack, Orao II dedicated ground attack, MiG-21 interceptor, MiG-29 interceptor, SA342, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters .All together 8 types of aircrafts. If G-4M2 project goes ahead Orao II will become unnecessary (anyway by 2010 they will be pulled out of service) and that would free up a lot of resources especially engines and engine parts. UTVA-75 will be replaced with Lasta 3, and MiG-21 and Mig-29 will eventually (most likely by 2010) be replaced with some multirole aircraft.
In 2010 this could be picture of SiCG airforce

1. Lasta 3 – basic trainer / light CAS
2. G-4M2 – swing role – jet trainer / ground attack (no more than 36)
3. Multirole aircraft (no more than 16 to 24) NATO compatible

As far as rotary wings and transport aircrafts are concerned I believe there will be dramatic expansion in this field in order to create highly mobile force capable of rapidly deploying anywhere in the region ( if current world situation remains for that long, ad most likely will) and to facilitate overseas deployment (theatres like Afghanistan, Iraq or any other future theatre of operation) What will happen with Gazelle, Mi-8, Mi-24 and An-26. I do not know, but it is safe to say that number of types will be reduced (maybe some new type of helicopter will be adopted that will provide troop / cargo transport capability and effective ground support and anti tank capability) An-26 might be retired and something with larger capacity might be introduced.

In short there will be less jet combat aircrafts, more emphasis will be put on ground support, and transport capacity will be expanded.

No point of me trying to bring up any facts because it is obvious that we see things very differently .I see them as someone who has experienced war and someone who had chance to use hi tech equipment. I have seen how Russian equipment is seriously under performing and western technology working up to specifications for months without stopping or failing.
Point that Russia cannot give equipment for free. Of course they can, they have hundreds of aircrafts rotting on different airfields completely unused and many of them are MiG-29’s. So why they could not give us 12 MiG-29C as donation? Or USD is more important to them than friendship? They showed how impotent they are over their role in Kosovo zone of responsibility. They wanted to ship hundreds and hundreds of troops via air to Pristina, and Romanian Air Force commander just told them if you try we will shoot you down .So mighty Russia was stopped by 3rd rated military power. And where are Russians today? Are they still in Kosovo? No they are not, they have gone home and quietly gave control of Slatina Airbase to NATO. They could not waited few more years so that we can reach deal that will partition Kosovo on Serbian and Albanian part and hopefully, also get control over Slatina airbase, perhaps one of the most fortified bases in this part of the Europe.
And to answer question of Russian technology inferiority, just look on Arab Israeli wars. Every time Arabs came in power with latest Russian technology they where humiliated by Israelis who inflicted serious losses on them every single time. After last Syrian Israeli air war over Beka valley, Russians where screaming, “Where were Arabs. What do you need to win” Replay was very simple, some really good missiles and aircrafts .

I was referring to period between 1995 – 1998 .At that time 2 x Mi-24 where purchased for police and you will agree they are pretty big so if Mi-24 can be imported so can few MiG-29. Ever since 1993 Yugoslavia was aware of possibility of conflict with NATO and nothing was done. As far as upgrading was concerned we are not talking about upgrading several hundreds of aircrafts but 12 MiG-29A. Even upgrade to C version would be something but it did not happen. Serbia even had problem getting spare parts for MiG-29, and on one occasion even RD-33 engines, already paid, have not been delivered.

P.S Yeap you are right M is new airframe, so SM and SMT are only possibility for existing airframes

Originally posted by Srbin

Man do you change your mind very quickly.

Well I have learned few things since 1999. “Enemy” helped us more than our “friends”, and since than, especially since 2001 our “enemy” become enemy of our enemies so by default they become our friends. Also I have learned the “financial power” is true defence against all enemies .Our “friends” could never provide that sort of power and that is why we ended up as we ended up.
Also Serbia is small country and to defend successfully against any potential enemies, Serbia must have small but extremely efficient high tech defence and to get that one need money, a lot of it, and without Serbia being part of EU and NATO that will not come.
Politics is “ art of possible” and one must be realistic and accept things as they are .In light of that Serbia, and correctly so, has orientated it self towards west .As far as performance is concerned on numerous occasions “eastern” equipment, under real conditions, proved to be inferior (1 on 1), and philosophy of mass over quality no longer functions, especially in regional conflicts.
It is shameful that “Knights” where unable to lock on single target, and fire single weapon, and the best thing is that pilots where not responsible for that failure. They did everything they could, but they where let down by technology (and tactics up to some extent) Lets not forget that some of the “ Knights” took RV I PVO commander to the court because of negligence.
Do we want to put future generations trough same pain because of our “pride” that is blinding us and hiding true, real problems?

Buying from the same people that where killing your people .So according to that logic Jewish people should not buy Mercedes because of concentration camps? So every Jew that buys MB or BMW is traitor? Or Americans should not buy Toyota because of Pearl Harbour? Come on guys, you should move to real world where Serbia is USA ally in the war against terrorism and where Serbia wants to join NATO and EU.

Some of you guys are not listening. During 50’s Yugoslavia did not purchase MiG-15 and 17 but F-86E, D, F-84G, TV-2, S-55 and so on. MiG-21 was purchased to supplement F-86D and also because at the beginning of 60’s was best price / performance day fighter. During 80’s MiG-29 was purchased (because of cost) as stop gap measure until YU Supersonic was introduced during 90’s. Test pilots (Marjan Jelen) preferred Mirage 2000 but because it was believed that stopgap fighter will stay in service for no longer than 15 years cheapest (not best) option was selected – MiG-29A. So now, in essence Serbs are going back to their roots and that is cooperation with Anglo French, again.

It is not exactly sad state of affair. Lasta 95 is not PC-21. Lasta is basic trainer with very light air to ground capability and advance training will be conducted on G-4, and in the future, modernised G-4M.
If Serbia wanted easy way out they could go to Russia and get “cheap” MiG-21 upgrade (21-93 / Bison) but they did not. They actually decided to by 2010 retire all MiG-21bis, and no one should be surprised if most of the MiG-21bis are retired by 2005. Anyway silver form MiG-21bis batteries is already on the market (sale temporarily suspended) and that tells that MiG-21bis are going out of the service (except MiG-21bisR)
What I did not mentioned is that Serbia is introducing new assault rifle M-21, new M-03 uniform, automatic 30 mm grenade launcher, 155mm self propelled “Nora” howitzer, 9mm submachine gun for special forces, upgraded CZ99 pistol, NEVA and KUB modernisation, AS-84 modernisation, P-14 reintroduction, new personal infantry radio communication gear, and maybe UAV, so one can not say that Serbia is doing nothing in respect of modernisation.