Military of Slovakia

Military of Slovakia
Armed Forces of Slovak Republic coat-of-arms
Manpower
Military age	17 years of age
Available for military service	1,413,079, age 15–49
Fit for military service	1,162,282, age 15–49
Reaching military age annually	40,000
Active personnel	14,000
Expenditures
Budget	$1.35 billion (2009)[1]
Percent of GDP	1.5% (2009)

The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel.^[2] Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004.^[3] From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.

Structure of the Armed Forces

• Ground Forces - are made up of two active mechanized infantry brigades.
• Air and Air defense Forces - comprising one wing of fighters, one wing of attack and utility helicopters, and one SAM brigade.
• Training and Support Forces - comprising NSE - National Support Element (Multifunctional Battalion, Transport Battalion, Repair Battalion), Garrison of capital city Bratislava, as well as Training Battalion, and various logistics and communication and information bases.
• Miscellaneous forces under the direct command of the General Staff - the 5th Special Forces Regiment

Structure of the Armed forces of the Slovak Republic

Slovak military vehicles marking symbol

Slovakia's plan for defense reform is the Force 2015 Long-Term Plan, which strikes a balance between requirements and resources and which envisions a professionalized, combat-capable force of 22,000 uniformed personnel by 2009.

Combat equipment

A Slovak Army soldier stands guard in front of the Multinational Division-Central South headquarters at Camp Echo, Iraq.

Slovak soldiers on parade

Small arms & hand weapons:

• ČZ vz. 82
• Vz. 58 rifle
• Sa vz. 58 standard service assault rifle
• Heckler & Koch G36 used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
• Heckler & Koch HK416 used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment In 2009 Regiment has been rearmed and HK416 and HK417 are standard assault rifles of the regiment.
• Heckler & Koch HK417 used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
• FN MINIMI Para machine gun used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
• Škorpion vz. 61
• Heckler & Koch MP5 only used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
• Heckler & Koch UMP used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment and Military Police
• Uk vz. 59 machine gun
• Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD)
• Grand Power K100
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare 12.7 AW.50 MK2. sniper rifle
• AT-4 Spigot
• SA-16 Gimlet
• Carl Gustav used by special forces

Ground Forces

• Main Battle Tanks
  • T-72 - 245 (in storage) The tanks are out from service
  • T-72M2 Moderna - only a few trial versions
• APC's
  • BVP-1 - 308 (72 in service)
  • BVP-2 - 91
  • BPsV - 71
  • OT-90 - 205 (56 in service)
  • Aligator 4x4 - 42
  • Tatrapan 6x6- 70+
  • Iveco LMV - 10
  • BAE RG-32M - 7

Slovak soldiers from 12th Mechanized Battalion

Tatrapan 6x6 armored vehicle

• Artillery
  • 120 mm mortar - 37
  • D-30 122 mm - 74 (in reserve)
  • 2S1 Gvozdika - 49 (in reserve)
  • RM-70 - 87 (26 are currently in service and upgraded to NATO MODULAR, rest in storage)
  • DANA 152 mm - 135
  • ShKH Zuzana 155 mm NATO - 16
  • PLdvK vz. 53/59 - 206

• Air-defence missiles:
  • 9K35 Strela-10M (SA-13 GOPHER)

Note -- Some is in reserve but all listed equipment is operable until 2010 and beyond [1]

Air Force

Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade

Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade

• Aircraft
  • Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum - 21 (12 NATO upgraded)
  • Aero L-39 Albatros - 13 (NATO upgraded)
  • Antonov An-26 Curl - 2 (NATO upgraded)
  • Let L-410 Turbolet - 7 (NATO upgraded)
  • Mil Mi-24 Hind - 12
  • Mil Mi-17 Hip-H - 12 (NATO upgraded)
  • Mil Mi-2 Hoplite - 6 (for pilots training - currently in process of being replaced by Hughes 269)

Slovak S-300

Note -- All aircraft data is current as of 1/08

• Air Defence Systems
  • SA-6 Gainful - 14 (4 batteries)
  • Almaz SA-10 Grumble - 1 battery

Note -- only 5 SAM brigades projected by 2015 Long Term Model

Special Forces

Badges of Slovak paratroopers

5th Special Forces Regiment

5th Special Forces Regiment

5th Special Forces Regiment

It is Slovakia's premier Counter-Terrorism and special operations unit. The unit is directly attached to the Armed Forces General Staff, but works for the Operational Reconnaissance Bureau.

Special Task Force of National Anti-Drug Department

The NADSTF duties include the following of organized crime groups, working in coverage, protecting important witnesses, preparing for actions sooner than the crimes are committed and arresting highly dangerous criminals. The NADSTF Operate under Ministry of interior of the Slovak Republic.

Missions

Slovakia has 198 military personnel deployed worldwide for United Nations-led peace support operations (PSOs).^[4] Slovakia committed to increase number of its troops in Afghanistan to around 500 men by the end of year 2010. Slovak troops are deployed in Southern Afghanistan. Slovakia has markedly increased its commitment to KFOR and SFOR in Bosnia in 2002. Soon Slovak troops will withdraw from the Kosovo because Slovak armed Forces set its priority to focus mainly on Afghanistan NATO led mission - only 20 men will stay for intelligence reasons in Kosovo.^[5] Since the independence of Slovakia in 1993, there have been 53 uniformed personnel deaths in the line of service to the United Nations (as of 2008).

Sources

1. ^ Defence Expenditures of NATO Countries (1985-2009)
2. ^ http://www.novinky.cz/zahranicni/evropa/239481-slovenska-armada-se-zbavi-tanku.html?ref=stalo-se (czech)
3. ^ http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2004/03-march/e0329a.htm
4. ^ http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/contributors/2009/dec09_1.pdf
5. ^ http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=01&dd=04&nav_id=64243

External links

• Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Slovak)
• Picture gallery