21.03.2011.

New FAP trucks for SAF

Today the Serbian Armed Forces took over 32 trucks, model FAP-1118, (Factory of Automobiles Priboj) thus starting the implementation of TAM program (Maribor Automobile Factory) which makes up about 50 percent of the total number of vehicles in the military. The handover was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Verica Kalanovic, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, Minister of Economy and Regional Development and Investment Plan Nebojsa Ciric and the Chief of the SAF General Staff General Miloje Miletic .

Sutanovac said he was pleased that after more than 25 years in the Army a number of new trucks had been added. He stressed that the "FAP" fulfilled all obligations under the contract and that was just the beginning of cooperation which, thanks to the Ministries of Economy and Defense should ensure a safe future and prospects of growth for that factory. During the visit, minister of defense said he believed that the trucks now acquired by the Serbian Army had features that could make them competitive in other markets, and that the ministry will do everything to promote it outside the country. The Minister said that the trucks were the result of cooperation of "FAP" (Factory of Automobiles Priboj) and the Military Technical Institute.

Furthermore, he added that this initial or "zero" batch of trucks is just a part of the total of 70 vehicles that the Army will buy from the Priboj factory during 2011. He added that should the Ministry provide more funds from its own resources, it would order more trucks, as units, he said, have greater needs. The supporting chassis of the truck would be the same while the elements would be upgraded to meet the SAF needs.

The value of this delivery, as Sutanovac said, was about four million EUR, while remarking that the Ministry of Defense would jointly with the Ministry of Economy, Regional Development and NIP provide additional three million.

The Minister said that trucks from Priboj had passed all tests proving to be of very good quality. The fact that the Serbian Army uses a certain type of truck shows that it is a high-quality vehicles, which are licensed in some way. These trucks feature a new concept as they are coated with camouflage paint that enables them to stay blend with the environment and remain invisible in infrared spectrum.

Deputy Prime Minister Verica Kalanovic stated that the choice of Prijepolje and Priboj as the destination of her first working visit after being appointed as Deputy prime Minister was not random, and stressed that the government wanted to show presence on the ground, to try and hear the needs of the local people, facing various problems and solve them.

The Minister of Economy, Regional Development and Investment Plan Nebojsa Ciric said he was pleased that three members of the Government were present, focused on the same task. He said that one of the priorities of the Government, when it comes to large commercial systems in 2011 was the Priboj FAP factory. He stressed that the Government was seeking an appropriate strategic partner for the FAP adding that the government would provide subsidizes the purchase of trucks and factories to make them more competitive in the market.

The fleet of the Army of Serbia has approximately 1,800 vehicles of FAP, which represents about 13 percent of the total number of vehicles that the Serbian armed forces have. However, their average life span exceeds 20 years so that the new cooperation and the takeover of today's SUVs FAP 1118 BS / AV 4t, 4x4 means a continuation of the process of renewing the vehicle fleet of the Army, and the renewal of FAP-thus boosting its capacities and production .

The new FAP trucks are modern vehicles adapted for military use, such as the complete four-wheel gearbox, higher mobility, and the superstructure allows future installation of modern weapons and communication devices, platforms for decontamination, fuel and water tanks in order to meet the needs for the transport of personnel and other purposes. There is also the possibility of adding a trailer.

In cooperation with the Military Technical Institute (VTI) and Technical Testing Center (TOC) the prototype series of five trucks met all the requirements during the entire testing process, in various terrains and training grounds.

In addition to these types of trucks in 1118 4x4 which are about to enter the serial production for the Army, Priboj FAP automobile factory has developed prototypes of a truck with three and four axles in order to start replacing TAM with FAP SUVs as a long-term project of employing Priboj FAP capacities to the full.