Yugoimport - SDPR

Additional Details

Yugoimport–SDPR is a state-owned Serbian defense company that manufactures weapons and acts as an intermediary for the import and export of defense-related equipment. Headquartered in Belgrade, it operates production facilities in Velika Plana, Kuršumlija, Pančevo, and Uzići, and serves as Serbia's primary exporter of weapons to Israel. In July 2024, Yugoimport–SDPR exported weapons and ammunition worth €7.3 million to Israel, disregarding appeals from United Nations experts to halt arms sales to the country. According to export data accessed by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) through a portal tracking state institution business activities, the company's total arms exports to Israel for 2024 is €23.1 million. Joint Ventures and Drone Production: In April 2024, Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems signed a joint venture agreement with Yugoimport–SDPR to establish a drone production site in Serbia. This move was driven by surging European demand for loitering weapon systems following the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Under the agreement, the Israeli company holds a 51% majority stake in the facility. In March 2026, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić revealed plans for this new drone factory, located in Šimanovci, which is designed to produce advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to the Tanjug news agency, Vučić stated, “We will have the best drones in this part of the world,” adding that while the technology would not be cheap, it would be highly efficient at destroying armored vehicles. Israeli industry sources indicate that the Šimanovci site will manufacture short-range strike drones for attack missions as well as long-range UAVs capable of operating at altitudes up to 6 km, surpassing Serbia’s existing Pegasus combat-reconnaissance drone system. Serbia has previously purchased Elbit’s Hermes 900 UAV.