At the Partner 2025 defense expo in Belgrade, Serbia unveiled the SM-2 loitering munition — a modular tactical system that pairs a lightweight air vehicle with a trailer-mounted pneumatic launcher and a ground control station. Designed for strikes against personnel and lightly armoured vehicles, the SM-2 is intended for mobile frontline use and features containerised reloads for rapid resupply.
Loitering munitions like the SM-2 loiter over target areas, wait for an engagement window, and then strike with an integral warhead — bridging the gap between guided missiles and expendable strike drones. The SM-2 airframe is powered by a two-stroke internal combustion engine and uses GNSS for navigation and targeting. The ground station handles mission planning, telemetry and preflight checks; one workstation is dedicated to receiving tasking from division or higher command, enabling integration into existing command structures.
The launcher is built onto a trailer towed by a Zastava NTV, and the launcher architecture can accommodate other compatible unmanned systems as well. Logistics are handled by a FAP 2228 vehicle carrying two containers, each holding eight SM-2 vehicles — enough to support two launchers and enable sustained operations with quick reloads in the field.
Key specifications place the SM-2 in the tactical loitering munition class: 4.52 m wingspan, 3.15 m length, 39 kg empty weight and a 70 kg maximum takeoff weight. It carries a 16-litre fuel tank and up to 23 kg of payload, cruises at 115 km/h with a top speed of 142 km/h, and has an endurance of approximately two hours. The operational ceiling is cited at 2,400 metres and a range of at least 250 km, giving it reach beyond immediate frontline zones while allowing for target loitering.
The platform’s endurance and payload suggest it is optimized for engagements against unarmoured personnel and light vehicles rather than hardened targets. While GNSS guidance offers precision navigation, the system — like other loitering munitions — remains vulnerable to electronic warfare and counter-drone measures. Nonetheless, the focus on containerised reloads and trailer-based launchers indicates a clear design goal: mobility, sustainment and fast redeployment with units operating in fluid battlefield conditions.
Overall, the SM-2 represents a portable, replenishable loitering strike capability tailored to fast-moving forces that require tactical reach and flexible interdiction options.
