| Military of Slovakia | |
|---|---|
| Ozbrojené Sily Slovenskej Republiky | |
 Armed Forces of Slovak Republic coat-of-arms | |
| Service branches | Ground Forces of the Slovak Republic, Slovak Air Force, Special Operations Forces (SK SOCOM) |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President of the Republic Zuzana Čaputová |
| Minister of Defense | Minister of defense: Jaroslav Naď |
| Chief of Defense | Chief of the General Staff: General Daniel Zmeko |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 17 years of age |
| Conscription | Abolished in 2006 |
| 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 | 18,531[1] |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | 2.01 billion $ (1.67 bilion €) (2021)[2] |
| Percent of GDP | 1.75% (2021) |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |
 Czech Republic Germany Israel Poland RussiaUnited States |
The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 17,500 uniformed personnel.[3] Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004.[4] From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.[5]
Structure of the Armed Forces[]
- Ground Forces - are made up of two active mechanized infantry brigades.
- Air and Air Defence Forces - comprising one wing of fighters, one wing of 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 14,000 uniformed personnel by 2012.[6] [7]
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:
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
- Heckler & Koch MP5 only used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
- Barrett M82.50cal sniper rifle
- Heckler & Koch UMP used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment and Military Police
- Uk vz. 59 machine gun
- Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD)
- Accuracy International Arctic Warfare 12.7 AW.50 MK2. sniper rifle
- AT-4 Spigot
- Carl Gustav used by special forces
- AGS-17 Automatic grenade launcher
- RPG-75Rocket-propelled grenade
- SIG-Sauer SSG 3000
Main Battle Tanks
- T-72M1 - 30 (17 in service)[8]
- T-72M2 Moderna - only a few trial versions
APC's
- BVP-2 - 91 - Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- BVP-1 - 162 - Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- BPsV - 71 - Reconnaissance vehicle
- OT-90 - 74 (56 in service) - Armoured personnel carrier
- Aligator 4x4 - 42 - Armored light off road vehicle (many versions)
- Tatrapan 6x6 - 70 - Armoured off road vehicle (many versions)
- MRAP (lent by U.S. Army in Afghanistan)
- Iveco LMV - 40 - Armoured light off road vehicle
- BAE RG-32M - 7 - Armoured light off road vehicle
Slovak soldiers from 12th Mechanized Battalion
Slovak 5th Special Forces Regiment in Afghanistan boarding an aircraft.
Slovak 5th Special Forces Regiment operating in eastern Afghanistan.
Tatrapan 6x6 armored vehicle
Artillery
Military trucks
- AKTIS
- MAN HX
- Tatra 815 (many versions)
- Praga V3S - 300 (to be replaced)
Light off-road vehicles
- Land Rover Defender 110 SW
- UAZ-469 - 200 (to be replaced)
- Nissan Navara, Nissan Pathfinder
- Mercedes-Benz G-Class
- Humvee - 5th Special Forces Regiment
Lightweight demining equipment
Bridge vehicles
- AM-50
- MT-55
- PM-55
- PMS TATRA 815
Amphibious vehicles
Military fitted ambulance
- AKTIS
- AMB-S
- Volkswagen Transporter (T4)
- Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Recovery vehicles
- VPV
- VT-72
- VT-55
- AV-15
Air Defence Systems
- SA-6 Gainful - 4 batteries[9]
- Almaz SA-10 Grumble - 1 battery[10]
Note -- All data is current as of 1.1.2013
Air Force[]
Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade
Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade
- Aircraft
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum - 12 (NATO upgraded)
- Aero L-39 Albatros - 6 (NATO upgraded)
- Antonov An-26 Curl - 1 (NATO upgraded)
- Let L-410 Turbolet - 4 (NATO upgraded)
- Mil Mi-17 Hip-H - 8 (NATO upgraded)
Slovak S-300
Note -- All aircraft data is current as of 1.1.2013
- Air Defence Systems
- SA-6 Gainful - 4 batteries
- Almaz SA-10 Grumble - 1 battery
- SA-18 Grouse
Special Forces[]
Badges of Slovak paratroopers
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 158 military personnel deployed in Cyprus for UNFICYP United Nations led peace support operations.[11][12] Slovakia committed to increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan to around 222 men by the end of 2013.[13] Slovakia has 35 troops deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina for EUFOR Althea.[14] Slovak troops were withdrawn from Kosovo because the Slovak Armed Forces set its priority to focus mainly on an Afghanistan NATO led mission.[15][16] Since the independence of Slovakia in 1993, there have been 56 uniformed personnel deaths in the line of service to the United Nations and NATO (as of 2013). [17]
References[]
- ↑ https://www1.pluska.sk/spravy/z-domova/vlada-predstavila-novy-plan-toto-udeje-bezpecnostnymi-silami
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ http://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/207764/vojakov-je-menej-za-desat-rokov-klesol-ich-pocet-o-8000/
- ↑ http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2004/03-march/e0329a.htm
- ↑ "Biela kniha o obrane SR 2013"
- ↑ "Nie je obrana už dávno v kríze?!" 24 April 2011
- ↑ "Slovenská armáda je úplne v ri..?!" 24 April 2011
- ↑ "UKDS 2013" 1 August 2013
- ↑ http://www.vvzs.mil.sk/35257/?pg=1
- ↑ http://www.plrb.mil.sk/300/
- ↑ "United Nations Peacekeeping Operations 2013" 31 May 2013
- ↑ "United Nations Mission´s Summary detailed by Country 2013" 30 June 2013
- ↑ http://cenaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Posobenie-Slovenska-v-zahr.-misiach-a-operaciach_0112.pdf
- ↑ http://www.euforbih.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2354:eufor-exercise-quick-response-2-begins&catid=105:press-statements&Itemid=70
- ↑ http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=01&dd=04&nav_id=64243
- ↑ http://www.mzv.sk/sk/zahranicna__politika/slovensko_v_nato-ucast_slovenska_v_mierovych_operaciach_nato#operacieISAF
- ↑ http://www.usembassy.sk/20years/index.php?page=20
External links[]
- Official homepage of the Ministry of Defence
- Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Slovak)
- Picture gallery
- Slovak military photos
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