Vucic: Serbian army needs more pilots ahead of Rafale deliveries

The Serbian Army will need more pilots as Rafale fighter jets are set to arrive, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said.

Report's Balkan bureau informs that Vucic made the remarks today at Batajnica military airfield during a presentation of the army's new and modernized assets and systems.

He said new Rafale fighter jets would be delivered to the country and that another procurement would also be carried out for the Serbian Army, though he did not disclose details.

"More cadets have now been admitted to the Military Academy than before. I think this is the first time we have had a sufficient number of admitted cadets. We hope their number will increase further, because we need human resources. The Rafales will arrive, and in addition, other equipment that I cannot yet speak about will also come," Vucic said while inspecting a MiG-29 aircraft equipped with air-to-air weapons.

The president said it was very important for pilots to have as many flight hours as possible.

During a conversation with military personnel, Vucic was told that the number of pilot training groups at the Military Academy had been doubled. The president said pilots" salaries had also been increased.