Krusik looking to produce guided missiles again, Zastava boasts NATO caliber light machine gun – PPT Namenska to invest in production machines

An inevitable asset of the domestic defense industry, which was in the focus of this year's International Fair of Arms and Military Equipment, are firearms, but local companies also try to design new products and restart manufacturing products they used to.

At the booths of the Partner 2019 fair in Belgrade, we had an opportunity to see unguided missile devices, mortars, hunting arms...

The company Krusik, known for its mortar products, had an income of USD 110 million last year, of which USD 105 million from export.

In the past five years, as said, they expanded their range of products to include unguided missile devices, producing missiles which are very competitive globally, the director of Krusik, Vladan Lukic, says for our portal.

– When it comes to aircraft missiles, we've expanded our range to include S-8 KOM and we therefore expect considerable income in the upcoming period. Also, since we've recently done guided missile devices, Arrows and Malyutkas, we've done an upgrade of Malyutka 2F, meant for neutralizing enemy personnel, and 2T, which can penetrate a steel layer of over 800 mm and is one of the most efficient weapons of its kind in the market.

As he said, they are currently finishing a facility for the production of detonators, which means that Serbia will no longer have to import them from Bosnia.

– We will work for Prvi Partizan, which produces firearm ammunition. We expect the facility to be completed in up to two months and for the test production to start.

He adds that their intention is to try to start producing guided missile systems again.

– We cooperate well with VTI, SDPR. We have recently bought the Krusik factory of hunting equipment, and the plan is to introduce serial production of a range of ammunition of special purpose, used by special police and military units.

Furthermore, this factory also produces batteries for helicopters and airplanes, as well as for railways, trams and substations.

In addition to the standard offer, Zastava Oruzje also presented the M-20 light machine gun of a NATO caliber.

Zoran Vulovic, one of the constructors at the development sector of Zastava Oruzje, told eKapija that the factory's current focus is on its new light machine gun. As he pointed out, there is a great global demand for this caliber, 7.62 mm.

– The model has just gone through the testing. It is not yet available in the market, but it meets all the conditions for serial production. It is based on the M-84 light machine gun and to an untrained eye it looks nearly identical, but there are fine differences when it comes to the mechanism.

Another important company within Serbia's defense industry is PPT Namenska from Trstenik. This company is well known, not just in the local market, but in the foreign market as well. As we were told, their popular products include mortars, handheld missile launchers and grenade launchers, and they will soon start producing landing gear. They say that they have jobs contracted for the next two years.

One of the new products is an air rifle for the American and the English markets, Zivota Vucic of the company's marketing sector told eKapija.

– With this product, we are targeting specific markets. It is made of 90% plastic, it is very light, but very deadly. The rifle has a scope, a silencer, a laser target marker and an effective range of 50 meters – Zivota Vucic says.

When it comes to the upcoming plans, in the past period, the company has invested considerable funds in purchasing machines, and additional investments are planned as well.

– We aim to invest funds for another 30 production machines and to raise our productivity to the maximum.

– PPT Namenska is known for its hydraulic products, especially landing gear. As Zivota Vucic pointed out, they hope to re-establish the cooperation in the aviation industry in the upcoming period.

Republika Srpska at the fair

The visitors were also shown Despot, the first armored vehicle produced in Republika Srpska, at the company Tehnicki Remont Bratunac. The vehicle is meant for a wide range of police or military tasks.

Despot features a modern design, is 6.05 meters long and 2.7 meters tall and has a maximum mass of 14 tons. The vehicle can run at up to 120 km/h and negotiate inclinations of 50 degrees and lateral inclinations of 30 degrees.

The vehicle can also pass through water of a level above one meter, easily overcomes vertical obstacles of up to half a meter and is fully functional at temperatures ranging between -40 and 50 degree Celsius.

Let us remind that the prototype was presented on January 9 at the parade in Republika Srpska. Five Despot vehicles should be delivered to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska by January.

The editorial staff of eKapija also had the opportunity to see a humanitarian demining system at the fair.

As we were told at the TRB booth, the concept of this MH-17 demining machine arose from the experience in producing MH-05 machines and the experience of their use at demining sites in B&H and Sudan.

– In this case, TRB has upgraded the comfort, the productivity and the design, facilitated the control of the machine and enhanced the protection from explosions.

S. Petrovic

Take a look at another article from Partner 2019: Airbus delivers first H145M helicopter to Serbian Armed Forces – Moma Stanojlovic plant certified for Gazelle maintenance.

Krušik - fabrika lovačke municije Valjevo

Zastava oružje a.d. Kragujevac

PPT-Namenska a.d. Trstenik

Tehnički remont a.d. Bratunac

Prvi partizan a.d. Užice

Vojnotehnički institut VTI Beograd

Jugoimport-SDPR Beograd

Belgrade Fair

Vladan Lukic

guided missile devices

batteries for helicopters

batteries for planes

M 20 light machine gun

Zoran Vulovic

production of landing gear

landing gear

Despot armored vehicle

humanitarian demining machine

humanitarian demining systems

Partner 2019

Fair of Arms and Military Equipment