Israeli media have confirmed that Serbia is the European country behind a massive $1.64 billion defense contract with Elbit Systems, Israel’s leading defense giant, according to The Times of Israel and N1 Belgrade.
Elbit had announced the deal last week, noting only that the customer was a European nation, without disclosing the country’s name. The contract will run for five years, providing Serbia with a wide range of advanced weapons systems and military technologies.
Details of the Deal
- Precision Long-Range Artillery & Rocket Systems
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), including AI-powered drones and loitering munitions
- Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) systems
- Signal Intelligence (SIGINT), Communication Intelligence (COMINT), and Electronic Warfare tools
- Advanced electro-optical and night-vision systems
- Combat vehicle upgrades and protective systems
- Digital Army & Network-Centric Warfare solutions, including next-generation C4ISR command-and-control software
The package also includes AI integration across multiple systems, enhancing real-time intelligence gathering, battlefield management, and interoperability.
Strategic Importance
Bezalel (Butzi) Mahlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, said the contract reflects growing European demand for state-of-the-art defense technologies and underlined Elbit’s role in strengthening the military capabilities of allied nations.
“This agreement demonstrates our ability to deliver integrated, multi-domain solutions tailored to the needs of modern armed forces. Our proven battlefield technologies are highly regarded, and through this strategic partnership, we are proud to support a European nation in enhancing its national security,” Mahlis said.
The deal also includes industrial cooperation, aimed at boosting Serbia’s domestic defense industry and technological capacity.
This contract is one of the largest-ever Israeli arms deals with a European country, placing Serbia in the spotlight as it modernizes its armed forces with cutting-edge Israeli defense technology.
