24.12.2012.

The day of the air force marked

The ceremony marking the day of the branch, which celebrates a century of existence, this year was attended by SAF Chief of the General Staff- Lieutenant Colonel Ljubisa Dikovic, Deputy Defense Minister Miroslav Jovanovic, members of the defense minister’s staff and members of the expanded staff of the Chief of the General Staff, as well as many representatives of the Ministry of Defense, SAF and local government.

Congratulating the members of the day of the branch, General Dikovic reminded that this year marks two anniversaries the SAF and the Republic of Serbia can be proud of, a century of Serbian military aviation and fifty years since the formation of the first units of armed missile systems.

Today, when on this day 1912 the Air Force command was formed, I can proudly say to you, members of the branch, that you have demonstrated that you were at any time ready to complete your tasks, as expected of you. Over the past hundred years, under the struggle for freedom and the defense of Serbia, the Serbian Air Force has written out countless pages of heroic deeds - General Dikovic said, adding that from the Balkan wars to the present, generation of pilots, air defense units, technicians and specialists in various fields, have laid their youth, knowledge, experience and their lives in the rich history of aviation.

SAF CHOD said that their patriotism, sense of honor and professionalism, constant inspiration serve as an example to current and future generations of airmen, rocket units and all other officers and soldiers of this type.

- In the period ahead, steeped in the traditions of our military, we will work jointly to strengthen the operational capabilities and modernization of Air Force and Air Defense - General Dikovic said and emphasized that the General Staff of the Serbian Army will provide full support in all aspects in order to improve the lives and work of units and the branch, and, as he said, “for which we have the support of the president and the ministry."

Congratulating the members of the Air Force, the host of the ceremony, Major General Ranko Zivak, reminded that the history of this type is 100 years old, and that is entwined with development and prosperity, but also with difficult historic challenges that our country and nation have repeatedly faced.

- Since 1913 to first casualties in the Air Force, through the heroic defense of Belgrade in the April War 1941, until the NATO aggression in 1999 none of the members of the air force regardless of the strength and superiority of the enemy has even uttered the words- I can not, will not or must not-as the air force commander said, adding that in the year behind us will be remembered as the year we mark the anniversaries in an appropriate way, together with the citizens of Serbia.

He said that it is our debt to the heroes who defended our freedom and our skies, and also to many other members of the branch who have, over the years, contributed to its prosperity.

In 2012 year we celebrated, but also worked hard. We were on the alert and ready to defend the sovereignty of airspace of the Republic of Serbia. We helped citizens and both during harsh winters and when fires broke out. We have provided support to our troops engaged in peacekeeping operations abroad, participating in many international activities and thus represented our country and its army - General Zivak said, noting that members of the Air Force were doing hard and dangerous job, and that the tragic events in which deminers Nebojsa Milic and Slavisa Markovic, and pilot Goran Savic lost their lives should serve as a warning for priority tasks in future years.

- Safety in the air, protecting the lives and health of our people and the maintenance of the equipment we work with are the main tasks in the coming years. We expect significant activity in the field of training – joint exercises with the armed forces of Romania and Bulgaria, as well as the joint exercise at tactical level in the branches, he remarked.

On the occasion of Air Force Day with parade units, aircraft and helicopters of the Army Aviation Serbia flew over the Batajnica runway, were greeted by applause of those present, who at the end of the ceremony visited the technical - tactical display of equipment and other resources.

Today also the Air Force Training Center marked its day as well.

December 24 is celebrated as a day of the air force branch to commemorate the event when based on the decision of the Serbian military ministry, Duke Radomir Putnik decided on the formation of the Air Command based in Nis, in 1912. At that time, Serbia was one of the 15 countries in the world that had an air force.