Serbia is preparing to launch a joint drone manufacturing plant with Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems and state arms exporter SDPR, according to a report by Haaretz.
The facility, planned for the Simanovci industrial zone near Belgrade, is expected to produce short-range armed drones and longer-range unmanned aircraft.
Elbit is expected to hold a 51 percent stake, while SDPR would control the remaining share, based on documents cited by the report.
Sources also told Haaretz that the plant could begin operations as early as April, though no official launch date has been confirmed.
Europe Expands Drone Production Partnerships
Across Central and Eastern Europe, governments are increasingly building drone capability through structured industrial partnerships rather than stand-alone procurement, with several programs linking local industry to established defense manufacturers.
In Poland, WB Group’s Warmate loitering munitions program has been supplied to Ukraine, with operational deployment feeding back into production refinement and scaling efforts in cooperation with Polish industry.
Romania has also pursued partnership-based drone capability development, including its acquisition of Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drones, which comes with training and operational integration support from the Turkish manufacturer.
In parallel, Romania’s long-standing use of Elbit Systems’ drones reflects sustained Israeli cooperation in unmanned systems, including maintenance and capability support structures tied to operational surveillance needs.
Ukraine represents the most accelerated case, with wartime drone production built around co-production and supply chain integration with Western defense firms.
