Belgrade, The Ministry of Defence, Wednesday, 27 July 1949
Major General Lav Rupnik considered the options laid out for him in the report prepared by his staff. Fiscal stringencies were beginning to hurt, with knock-on effects in operational readiness.
The situation with regard to fighter aircraft spoke for itself – the initial order for seventy-five examples of the Dassault Ouragan II covered the re-equipment of three squadrons, one of which was still working up with its new mounts. Deliveries of a second batch would not begin much before the end of the year, and until then most units would continue to operate the Soko Orao – indeed, four squadrons would continue to operate the elderly Soko Jastreb. Deliveries of the Soko Strsljen, the planned replacement for the Jastreb, were painfully slow – with little more than fifty aircraft expected to be delivered before the end of the year.
With bombers there were even greater concerns – true, four squadrons were converting to the Arado Ar234 obtained from Germany, yet eight squadrons still flew the elderly Soko Zmaj – a fine aircraft when it was introduced, but presently obsolescent. It was unlikely that a sufficient number of Arados could be obtained to permit replacement on a one-for-one basis. His staff recommended that two squadrons, at least, be disbanded, with their surviving aircraft being reallocated to bring the other units up to strength.
Airlift was the one bright spot – the Germans had been generous in transferring low-time Arado Ar232 transports to equip two squadrons, more than sufficient for the service’s normal needs. Yet even here the clamour from the Army for more of those experimental helicopters threatened to upset the budget.
He jotted down notes in preparation for a meeting with Stambolic, the Defence Minister; then he would have to meet with the Prime Minister, and perhaps the entire cabinet as well. There was no doubt that at some point he would have to brief His Majesty Petar.