Serbia has bought a new generation of Chinese FK-3 anti-aircraft missile systems, the state arms trading company Jugoimport SDPR JP said, learned BulgarianMilitary.com citing news agency Dnevnik.
This is the first country in Europe that will adopt this complex, which experts compare in parameters with the American “Patriot III”. The information is contained in the company’s annual report and was first noticed by the local media Balkanska bezbednosna mreza.
According to the report, these are 3 batteries from this complex, which has a range of 100 km and hits targets at an altitude of 50 to 27 thousand meters.
FK-3 is the export option of the Chinese medium-range system HQ-22, which was first shown in 2016 at the Zhuhai Air Show.
The U.S. Embassy in Belgrade issued a warning that “purchasing defense equipment is supposed to be a sovereign decision of a country, yet the Serbian government should understand the ‘short- and long-term risks and costs of doing business with Chinese companies.'”
”The content of Serbia’s defense procurement should be consistent with the Serbian side’s previously announced broader policy goal of EU membership,” the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade added, adding that “defense suppliers from countries other than China are well positioned to provide alternative equipment and, in terms of both quality and cost, are It can be compared to Chinese weapons.”
