For ZRAK d.d. Sarajevo, the inaugural First Balkan Shield – Defense Industry Expo & Summit 2026 provided an opportunity to present both a long-established industrial capability and the company’s efforts to develop new optical products for today’s defense market.
Speaking to Defensehere on the sidelines of the exhibition, Zlatan Lakić, Contracts and Trade Coordinator at ZRAK d.d. Sarajevo, said the Bosnian company continues to build on a manufacturing tradition that dates back to its establishment in 1948.
ZRAK specializes in the production of optical, opto-mechanical and optoelectronic equipment, with its portfolio serving military and civilian applications. The company exports products to a number of international markets, including countries in the European Union as well as Bulgaria, Austria, Egypt and Türkiye, according to Lakić.
A significant part of ZRAK’s defense portfolio is focused on optical systems for artillery and armored platforms. The company produces optical sights for 105mm, 122mm and 155mm howitzers, alongside military binoculars and riflescopes.
Its capabilities also extend to armored vehicles, including periscopes for tanks and other protected platforms.
One of the company’s distinguishing characteristics is the extent to which production is carried out internally. ZRAK manufactures optical and mechanical components at its own facilities before assembling and inspecting the finished systems in its laboratories and factory.
Lakić described this integrated approach as an important part of the company’s identity, allowing ZRAK to maintain control over different stages of production while preserving the industrial capabilities developed over decades.
The company’s optical manufacturing activities include the production of spherical and cylindrical lenses, optical filters and beam splitters, mirrors, prisms, reticles and optical thin layers. Its mechanical capabilities include conventional and CNC machining, as well as surface protection and thermal treatment.
The company is also seeking to expand its portfolio through cooperation with research and development institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
One such project is a red-dot sight being developed together with the Center for Advanced Technologies (CNT). Lakić said the system remains at the prototype stage, with an initial prototype already developed.
The project reflects ZRAK’s effort to combine its established optical manufacturing expertise with newer technologies and product requirements. The company used First Balkan Shield as a platform to introduce both its existing portfolio and the new development to potential customers and industry partners.
The exhibition itself provided a regional setting for that effort. First Balkan Shield 2026 brought together defense companies, government representatives and international delegations in Sarajevo, creating opportunities for domestic manufacturers to demonstrate their capabilities to foreign visitors and potential partners.
For ZRAK, participation also underlined the company’s position within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defence-industrial base, while giving it a venue to present a combination of established products and ongoing development work.
With decades of experience in precision optics, ZRAK is now looking to preserve its traditional product base while adding new systems to its portfolio. The red-dot project is one example of that transition, as the Sarajevo-based company continues to develop products while maintaining in-house expertise in optics, mechanics and optoelectronics.
As Lakić put it, the company is seeking to keep the ZRAK name visible in international markets while continuing to improve its capabilities and develop new products.