Breaking News: Serbia's first Israeli-made PULS rocket launcher spotted during military rehearsal.

As reported by Luka | Дунав Intel on September 18, 2025, Serbia received its first Israeli-made PULS multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS), after sightings of a least one unit painted in Serbian camouflage during rehearsals for the “Power of Unity” 2025 military parade in Belgrade. Following Elbit Systems’ November 2024 announcement of a major contract with an undisclosed European customer, this parade officially confirms that Serbia became the latest operator of the Israeli system.
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The PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) is a modular two-pod system that accepts multiple rocket families and, in some configurations, cruise missiles or loitering munitions. (Picture source: Armata_555 via X/Luka | Дунав Intel)

According to this contract, Serbia is procuring PULS rocket launchers, Hermes 900 reconnaissance drones, and an extensive range of electronic and intelligence systems. Deliveries of the first contract, worth $335 million, are planned over three and a half years, while a subsequent $1.635 billion contract will span five years and represents one of Serbia’s largest modern defense acquisitions. The contracts are structured around two principal groups of equipment, one covering long-range precision artillery rockets and multiple types of unmanned aerial systems, and the other focused on ISTAR, COMINT, and SIGINT, electronic warfare, electro-optical devices, night vision, combat vehicle upgrades, and advanced command and control systems integrating all levels of the armed forces.

The PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) itself is a modular rocket launcher developed by Elbit Systems following its acquisition of Israel Military Industries (IMI) in 2018. The system accommodates two sealed pod containers per vehicle, each of which can carry various types of rockets. Configurations include 36 122 mm Grad or Accular rockets with ranges up to 35 km, 26 160 mm LAR or Accular rockets reaching 40 km, 8 EXTRA guided rockets with ranges of 150 km, and up to 4 Predator Hawk missiles that can strike targets at 300 km with a warhead between 160 and 200 kilograms.

Guidance is provided by GPS and inertial navigation systems, with claimed accuracies between 1 and 10 meters CEP depending on the munition. The launcher can also fire Delilah cruise missiles to about 250 km and accommodate SkyStriker loitering munitions, with six drones fitting into a single pod, each capable of reconnaissance or strike missions at over 100 km and reusable if not expended. A firing mission can be executed in under a minute, and the system can operate continuously under all weather conditions, including ripple fire of unguided rockets with less than one second between launches.

In Serbia, PULS launchers are mounted on Tatra 815-7 Force 6×6 chassis, similar to the Dutch configuration, which provides high off-road mobility and operational adaptability. This combination allows the systems to be quickly redeployed across varied terrain and integrated into Serbia’s artillery brigades. The acquisition package reportedly includes Predator Hawk missiles, EXTRA rockets, and ACCULAR rockets, enabling Serbia to build a layered strike capability with ranges from 35 to 300 km. This represents a substantial increase compared to the domestically developed LRSVM Tamnava system introduced in 2019, which had ranges of 40 km with 122 mm rockets and about 70 km with 262 mm rockets, but has not been widely adopted by the Serbian Armed Forces. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has emphasized that these acquisitions provide the ability to respond to challenges from neighbors, specifically referencing Croatia’s purchase of HIMARS and Bayraktar TB2 drones, and has presented the PULS and Hermes systems as a direct counter to these developments.

The Hermes 900 UAVs purchased alongside the PULS are medium-altitude, long-endurance drones with a payload capacity of up to 350 kilograms and endurance of around 36 hours. They are designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions, but can also be equipped with Spike anti-tank missiles for combat roles if required. The integration of Hermes drones with PULS systems establishes a reconnaissance-strike loop, allowing Serbia to detect, verify, and strike targets across ranges that significantly exceed previous capabilities. This combination also reflects the broader content of the $1.635 billion contract, which emphasizes battlefield digitalization, electronic warfare, and advanced communications, indicating an intention to modernize Serbia’s armed forces not only with new artillery but also with enabling systems for networked warfare.

In Europe, at least four other countries have also procured the system. Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany are all integrating PULS into their armies, with Germany focusing on the Euro-PULS variant in cooperation with KNDS to allow compatibility with European munitions. The Netherlands recently completed a validation firing at Breezanddijk in July 2025, marking the reintroduction of rocket artillery into its forces after a 19-year absence, while Spain ordered 16 systems for its SILAM program and Denmark fielded eight units mounted on Tatra 6×6 chassis. Germany, meanwhile, approved the procurement of five systems to replace MARS II units sent to Ukraine, likely on Iveco chassis. Beyond Europe, the system has been adopted by Rwanda, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, and Peru recently selected PULS with technology transfer provisions for local production. These acquisitions indicate growing global demand for the system as an alternative or competitor to the U.S.-made HIMARS.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.