The defense industry of Serbia is the largest in the Western Balkans. Serbia's export of weapons and military equipment in 2021 was valued at $1.23 billion (€1.13 billion). It consists of around 200 companies, both public and private, working in many different fields. Serbian defense companies closely cooperate with the Military Technical Institute, country's top-level military scientific research institution, in developing new weapons, as well as with Serbian Armed Forces' Technical Testing Center, using its services for testing of new defense products. Universities and colleges in Serbia also participate through various contracts with the companies.
Legal framework
All Serbian manufacturers of defense equipment must abide to the Law on Manufacturing and Sale of Weapons and Defense equipment. There is a special permission for manufacturing defense material and manufacturers must meet many criteria in order to get a permit for manufacturing. There is also a special registry that all companies have to apply to in order to obtain permits for import or export defense products; as of 2018, 219 companies were registered for arms import-export.
Education There are several universities that have proper defense industry study programs, such as: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade Department for Military Engineering Department for Aerospace Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac Department for Military Industrial Engineering Military Academy of University of Defence
Manufacturers Production is performed in many companies, both public (state-owned) and private. There is a close cooperation between some of these in numerous projects.
Public
Public companies i.e. those that are state-owned are grouped into "Defence Industry of Serbia" holding (). Company Portfolio Average employees Revenue Yugoimport SDPR armored vehicles, artillery systems and defence trade 351 (1,520) €346.7 million Krušik large-caliber ammunition (missiles, rockets, shells) 2,050 €157.1 million Sloboda large-caliber ammunition 1,751 €131.7 million Milan Blagojević - Namenska propellants and gunpowder 1,726 €108.5 million Prvi Partizan small-caliber ammunition 1,557 €102.2 million Trayal explosives, protective devices 1,201 €66.3 million Yumco uniforms, protective equipment 1,528 €55.3 million Zastava Arms firearms 2,324 €55.0 million Prva iskra explosives 170 €32.9 million PPT Namenska multiple rocket launchers, anti-aircraft systems, mortars, robots 700 €23.4 million Zastava TERVO off-road vehicles 238 €20.7 million Teleoptik - žiroskopi optics, gyroscopic and fire-control equipment 286 €15.5 million Fabrika automobila Priboj military and off-road trucks 164 €11.8 millionTotal 14,046 €1.127 billion
Financial figures refer to individual legal entities and are based on annual financial statements filed with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR). The employee figures represent the average number of employees during the reporting year, while revenue figures represent total revenue (AOP 1043). Euro values are approximate conversions from Serbian dinars using the 2025 average exchange rate published by the National Bank of Serbia.
Private Partial list of private companies includes: EDePro - rocket ammunition, UAV, seekers for IR guided missiles, engines for rockets and UAV Iritel - electronics, radars Tigar - NBC protection, tank and vehicle parts Proizvodnja Mile Dragić - uniforms, shoes, boots, personal protections etc. NB Inat - pistols, rifles and guns SovaNVision - electronics and optics Senzor Infiz - electronics, battery chargers, laser designations, ballistic computers Imtel komunikacije - portable radars, radar detectors, electronics PPT-TMO - mechanical parts for rifles, tanks, rockets Pneumatik flex - hydraulics for self propelled artillery and other vehicles Pneumo logic - acclimatization and ventilation systems for self propelled artillery and other vehicles Poliester - tubes for MANPADS VLATACOM - security systems, radars Ei-OPEK - ammunition fuzzes, multiple rocket launchers controllers and electronics FTN-IRAM-RT - radar spare parts, electronics for radar data acquisition and radar controllers Tehnoremont - combat vehicles overhaul Azimuth-DPS - combat vehicles overhaul, tank overhaul, T-55 modernization, combat wheeled vehicles production
Fairs Every two years international defense fair "Partner" is organized in Belgrade. Defense companies of Serbia participate at fair presenting its latest products.
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