Yugoslav Air Operations (1998-1999)

The Yugoslav War Air Force carried out dozens of raids on KLA positions throughout Kosovo, mainly in the Priština area, flying at low altitude. The main aircraft involved were J-22 Oraos, which bombed KLA positions. One J-22 Orao crashed into a hill after being shot down by a KLA member using a Strela-2 on 25 March 1999, killing the pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Života Ðurić, who crashed into one of the KLA bases.^[1][2][4][5] The mission's objective was to weaken the KLA's military power, which it partially succeeded in by destroying several command bases and eliminating a large number of militants.^[2][4][6] However, from 24 March 1999, with the arrival of NATO aviation, most missions had to be scaled back due to Operation Allied Force.

On 10 June 1999, Serbian generals and other commanders who had participated in the Kosovo War signed the Kumanovo Agreement , which withdrew the Yugoslav Army and special anti-terrorist units from Kosovo. The Yugoslav Army's attack aircraft also returned to their base in Batajnica. The Yugoslav Air Force flew a total of 36 combat sorties over Kosovo and Metohija out of a total of 248.^[4]