Serbia Mulls Drone Battalions, Push Into Robotic Warfare

Serbia has announced a plan to broaden the integration of tactical unmanned aerial systems and robotic platforms into its armed forces, according to local media.

Speaking after meetings with senior defense officials in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic proposed creating military units using long-range strike drones and loitering munitions, as well as a battalion-level formation built around robotic solutions.

He also called for wider drone adoption across existing commands and expanded training for reconnaissance teams to support ground artillery and air strikes.

“In addition to the increased production of drones, which I expect to explode this year … we will significantly devote ourselves to the … digitisation of our army,” Reuters quoted the president as saying.

The Balkan state is now expected to move forward with a formal roadmap for military robotization, as it continues to invest in new weapons and equipment.

“I think that in this regard we will be one of the ​armies with the most pronounced interoperability and the greatest capabilities, not only in our region, ‌but ⁠also wider than that,” Vucic said.

The country currently has approximately 22,500 warfighters and has allocated 3.3 percent of gross domestic product to defense initiatives for this year.

Regional Alliance, Israeli Collaboration

During the Belgrade conference, Vucic said the security environment in the region has grown “more complex,” pointing to the strengthening of trilateral cooperation between Croatia, Albania, and Kosovo, while reiterating Serbia’s commitment to peace as it strengthens its military capabilities.

The session follows Serbia’s confirmation of an industrial strategy to jointly produce combat drones with Israel, which includes the establishment of a dedicated plant in the Simanovci industrial zone.

Sources project operations at the site to start by April 2026, with products covering short-range and long-range autonomous systems.