Serbian army to receive PASARS air defense systems armed with MISTRAL 3 missiles.

According to information published by the Serbian Ministry of Defense on December 28, 2021, the Serbian army will receive in 2022, 12 new PASARS mobile short/medium-range air defense systems armed with 40mm Bofors gun L/70 and MISTRAL 3 surface-to-air missile manufactured by the company MBDA.
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Serbian army PASARS mobile air defense system armed with one Bofors L/70 40mm automatic cannon and two launchers for MISTRAL 3 surface-to-air missile. (Picture source Army Recognition)

At the edition 2021 of Partner defense exhibition that was held in Belgrade from 11 to 14 October 2021, Serbian State Defense Company Yugoimport has unveiled a new updated version of the PASARS, a dual weapon mobile air defense system combining a Bofors 40mm L70 gun and 2 missile launchers for MISTRAL 3, integrated on a Yugoimport FAP 2228 6x6 chassis.

In July 2019, MBDA has announced the signature of a contract with the Serbian Minister of Defense for the acquisition of Mistral 3 short-range air defense systems. The contract was for the acquisition of Mistral missiles, launchers for dismounted soldiers, related equipment and logistics, and the provision of technical and material assistance for the integration of the Mistral missile on the PASARS air defense vehicles of the Serbian Armed Forces.

The PASARS mobile air defense system is based on the FAP 2228, a Serbian-made 6x6 military truck manufacturer Fabrika automobila Priboj (FAP). The front of the vehicle is fitted with an armored cabin that provides protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. The rear part of the PASARS is fitted with a turret armed with one Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft automatic cannon and two launchers for MISTRAL 3 missile mounted to the right side of the turret.

The Bofors 40 mm gun, often referred to simply as the Bofors gun, is an anti-aircraft automatic gun designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors. During the 1970's Serbian arms manufacturer Zastava Arms acquired from Bofors a license to produce the L/70 version together with the laser-computer group. Ammunition for the Bofors L/70 is locally produced for domestic use and export by Serbian ammunition and manufacturing company Sloboda Čačak including ammunition of increased range. The L/70 can be used against aerial targets with a maximum firing range of 12,500 m.

The MISTRAL 3 is the latest generation of surface-to-air missile in the MISTRAL family. The missile is equipped with an infrared imaging seeker and advanced image processing capabilities. This allows it to engage low thermal signature targets such as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), turbojet-powered missiles and fast craft at long range while offering excellent resistance to countermeasures. The Mistral missile is able to engage a supersonic target flying at 3,000 meters of altitude.

Defense News December 2021