Serbia opens drone assembly plant in partnership with Elbit Systems

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has officially opened a drone assembly plant in the Makiš neighborhood of Belgrade, marking a partnership with the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. The opening ceremony, held on September 17 alongside Israeli Ambassador Avivit Bar-Ilan, was conducted without journalists present; Vučić cited the confidential nature of the production as the reason for limited media access.

Investigations reveal that while the collaboration with Elbit Systems is confirmed, the production takes place within the facilities of SDS Technologies. The ownership structure of SDS Technologies appears to contradict previous statements by Vučić, who had announced that Serbia and Israel would share ownership on a 50-50 basis. Instead, SDS Technologies is owned by the London-based company CUPA Limited, which is majority-owned by Greek citizen Atanasios Ramos.

Additionally, Zion Amir, a prominent Israeli criminal lawyer who represents Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been appointed as one of the two new directors of SDS Technologies. The specific role of a criminal lawyer in this capacity remains unclear. Vučić indicated that plans are in place for three additional drone production facilities near several airports.