Yugoimport SDPR

History

The company was founded in 1949 by the decree of the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, with the primary goal of importing parts and raw materials for the needs of the domestic defense industry. Over time, domestic production outgrew the needs of the domestic market, so Yugoimport started orienting towards foreign markets. Yugoimport started exporting weapons in 1953. By a state resolution in 1974, affairs related to the import and export of weapons were centralized within the framework of the newly formed Federal Directorate for Procurement (Savezni direktorat za nabavke), where Jugoimport was also involved.

After several reorganizations, Yugoimport-SDPR became a fully owned state-company. During its history, the company made a business balance of approximately 22 billion dollars through the trade of weapons, equipment and technology.

Manufacturing of weapons

The company works in cooperation with the Military Technical Institute in developing wide array of weapons, from artillery systems and armoured vehicles to trainer aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. Recent flagship products include Nora B-52 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, Lazar 3 armoured personnel carrier, Miloš light armoured vehicle, ALAS guided missile, Lasta 95 light trainer aircraft, Pegaz combat drone, and Premax 39 river patrol boat.

Manufacturing is organized through following subsidiary:

• Borbeni složeni sistemi ("Complex Fighting Systems") manufactures artillery systems and armoured vehicles at its facilities in Velika Plana and Kuršumlija.
• Utva Aviation Industry manufactures military trainer aircraft and drones at its facility in Pančevo.
• Belom manufactures small-caliber ammunition at its facility in Uzići near Požega.
• Jugoimport livnice, Potisje precizni liv, Kovački centar produce metal components for artillery systems and armoured vehicles.

Products

Artillery systems

• Nora B-52 155 mm self-propelled howitzer
• Sora 122 mm self-propelled howitzer

Armoured vehicles

• Lazar 3 armoured personnel carrier/infantry fighting vehicle
• BOV M16 Miloš multi-role armoured vehicle
• BOV M11 armoured reconnaissance vehicle

Aircraft

• Lasta 95 light trainer aircraft
• Sova light trainer aircraft

UAV

• Pegaz combat drone
• Vrabac reconnaissance drone
• Gavran 145 loitering munition
• Osica loitering munition

Missiles

• ALAS 175 mm multipurpose guided missile (in cooperation with EDePro)

Watercraft

• Premax 39 multirole fast patrol river boat

File:NORA-B52_M15.jpg|Nora B-52 155mm self-propelled howitzer File:Sloboda_2019_-defile_06-Lazar_3_02.jpg|Lazar armoured personnel carrier File:Sloboda_2019-defile_08-_BOV_M16_Miloš_04.jpg|Miloš armoured vehicle File:Ракета_АЛАС_изложена_на_сајму_наоружања_и_војне_опреме_Партнер_2011.jpg|ALAS guided missile File:Lasta_95_P2_54012_V_i_PVO_VS,_Partner_2011.jpg|Lasta 95 light trainer aircraft File: Zastava 2024 - Pegaz 82018 - 01.jpg|Pegaz combat drone

Import and export of weapons

The company is the sole intermediary company that represents the Serbian government and Serbian military–industrial complex in the sphere of importation and exportation of defense equipment as well as technology transfers (through selling production licenses to foreign customers, such as those for MLRS M-87 Oganj to Iraq, for grenade launchers to Azerbaijan, small-caliber ammunition to India and Algeria).

Engineering

Yugoimport built many military and civilian objects in numerous countries around the world including airports, hospitals, command posts, including many civilian and military facilities for Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime.

In 2024, Yugoimport was contracted to renovate Baghdad's Commanding Officers' Club, which it had originally built under the Hussein regime.

Engineering is organized through PMC Inženjering and Atera plus subsisidiaries.

References

References

1. "БИЛАНС УСПЕХА (2018) - Jugoimport-SDPR".
2. "БИЛАНС СТАЊА (2018) - Jugoimport SDPR".
3. (August 2025). "Основни подаци о привредном друштву". Serbian Business Registers Agency.
4. (29 December 2012). "Srbija ima fabriku složenih borbenih sistema". Al Jazeera Balkans.
5. "ARMOURED MULTI-PURPOSE COMBAT VEHICLE 4x4 - BOV M16 MILOSH {{!}} SDPR - Yugoimport".
6. "News.Az -".
7. (6 January 2011). "Bombs away". The Economist.
8. (20 June 2017). "Defence Reliance, Serbia's Yugoimport, to join forces on ammo production in India".
9. "Yugoimport-SDPR/Engineering".
10. (26 May 2003). "Iraq's Bunker Busters". Time Magazine.
11. "رئيس الوزراء حيدر العبادي يزور معمل الالبسة الرجالية في النجف الاشرف » وكالة الانباء العراقية (واع)".