Republika Srpska police set to buy South African weapons systems

NEWS 01.04.202111:26
Ministarstvo odbrane

A Serbian security news portal reported on Thursday that the Republika Srpska (RS) police is buying weapons from a South African company for its armored vehicles.

The Balkan Security Network quoted reports in local media in the Bosnia-Herzegovina entity that said the RS Internal Affairs Ministry had applied for permits to import 7.62 and 12.7 mm remote controlled machine guns for the Despot armored car which is produced by a defense industry company in Bratunac. The permit requests named Dynateq Interational PTY as the supplier. The Despot is used by the RS police Special Anti-Terrorist Unit which has nine of them with indications that more will be procured.

The Despot is made by the privately-owned TRB and is classed as a multi-purpose armored all-terrain vehicle intended for use by the police and military. The first production model was presented at a parade on Republika Srpska Day in January 2019. The nine vehicles were supplied at a cost of some six million Euro and are based in the RS police training center in Zaluzani outside Banja Luka. Officially they are intended for use to break up demonstrations.