21.10.2020.

Minister Vulin at the first CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicle live-fire testing

Today, the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin and the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Major General Petar Cvetković attended the first CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicle’s live firing at ground targets at the Weapons and Military Equipment Testing Centre “Nikinci“.

According to Minister Vulin, modern warfare is high-tech warfare, in which unmanned platforms are used. Therefore, having anticipated such developments in modern conflicts and on the order of the President of the Republic and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian Armed Forces have procured CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles produced by a Chinese manufacturer.

- Today, for the first time on our territory, we had a genuine live-fire testing with a laser-guided rocket on the Nikinci proving ground, and it was successful. The Serbian Armed Forces have thus increased their capability. We are following the best and the most modern trends and the 353rd Reconnaissance Squadron and our Air Force and Air Defence have obtained an important weapon. Every dinar invested in technology, modernization and the purchase of new combat equipment is a dinar well invested in something that protects the lives of our soldiers – says Minister Vulin, adding that this is what is most important.

- All modern armed forces tend to use men as late as possible. That is why unmanned aerial vehicles are bought, that is why unmanned platforms are constructed. That is why the Serbian Armed Forces are making progress and becoming modern, and by purchasing CH-92A they have taken the lead at least in our region and they are capable of rivalling much bigger and more developed armed forces than ours – Minister Vulin emphasizes.

All features of CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles will be used for strengthening our armed forces, and this purchase is a transfer of technology, because by purchasing technology, we purchase the knowledge that our engineers will be able to apply, because only the things that we produce are essentially ours, the Minister of Defence points out.

Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović, PhD, emphasizes that the final phase of testing of the CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles and the full set of equipment is underway before they are introduced into the armaments of the Serbian Armed Forces. These drones were delivered to the Serbian Armed Forces several months ago, Miloradović says and points out that after that, our crews were given training by the manufacturer where they had the opportunity to fire this weapon and use the other features that the CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicle has.

- Today is the penultimate day of testing, and so far, everything has been done successfully, including the live-fire with FT-8C rocket at the Nikinci proving ground. One more day of testing remains, after which the system will be considered accepted. Miloradović points out that the newly formed reconnaissance squadron will soon reach full operational capability and that it will significantly contribute to the overall capability of the Air Force and Air Defence, reconnaissance capabilities, but also the capabilities of the long-range artillery, bearing in mind all functions that the remotely piloted CH-92A drone can perform by day and night.

In addition to engaging ground targets, which was shown today at the Nikinci proving ground, CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles can be used to perform a wide range of tasks such as aerial reconnaissance, precise determination of coordinates of spotted ground targets and their automatic tracking, intelligence preparation of the battlefield, adjustment of fire, target damage assessment, laser designation of targets to be engaged by other laser-guided ammunition (bombs and missiles).

The life-fire testing in Nikinci was also attended by the Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, Major General Duško Žarković, Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, Brigadier General Željko Bilić, Head of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Department, Brigadier General Miroljub Čupić and Head of the Development and Equipping Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Milan Popović.