Military of Slovakia

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
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief President of the Republic
Chief of staff Chief of the General Staff: Lieutenant General Milan Maxim
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		 approx. 30,000
Active personnel 14,095 soldiers and 8,515 civilians (2013)[1][2]
Expenditures
Budget 744 million € (2014)[3][4][5][6][7]
Percent of GDP 1.00% (2014)
Industry
Foreign suppliers  Czech Republic
 Germany
 Israel
 Poland
 Russia
 United States

The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 14,095 uniformed personnel and 8,515 civilians.[8][9] Slovakia joined NATO in 29 March 2004.[10] From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.[11][12][13]

Structure of the Armed Forces

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 14,500 uniformed personnel by 2013.[14][15][16]


Air Force

Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade
Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS NATO upgrade
Slovak S-300

Note -- All aircraft data is current as of 1.5.2015


Special Forces

Slovak 5th Special Forces Regiment in Afghanistan boarding an aircraft.
Slovak 5th Special Forces Regiment operating in eastern Afghanistan.

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.


Missions

Slovakia has 158 military personnel deployed in Cyprus for UNFICYP United Nations led peace support operations.[17] Slovakia committed to increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan to around 66 men by the end of 2014.[18] Slovakia has 34 troops deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina for EUFOR Althea.[19] Slovak troops were withdrawn from Kosovo because the Slovak Armed Forces set its priority to focus mainly on an Afghanistan NATO led mission.[20][21] Since the independence of Slovakia in 1993, there have been 59 uniformed personnel deaths in the line of service to the United Nations and NATO (as of 2013).[22] [23]

References

  1. ↑ "Defence Data". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/finance-documents/national-defence-data-2012.pdf
  3. ↑ "NATO Defence Expenditure: 2009 - 2013" 14 August 2014
  4. ↑ "Slovak Military Budget 2014"
  5. ↑ "Slovak Military Budget 2013"
  6. ↑ "Rezort obrany vyčerpal vlani z rozpočtu 725,6 milióna eur". Topky.sk. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  7. ↑ P E R E X , a. s. "Rozpočet armády sa zvyšovať nebude, tvrdí Fico". Pravda.sk. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Azet.sk. "Slovenská armáda v číslach: 475 vojakov nebolo na testoch fyzickej spôsobilosti!". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Azet.sk. "Vojakov je menej. Za desať rokov klesol ich počet o 8000". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "NATO Update: Seven new members join NATO - 29 March 2004". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Biela kniha o obrane SR 2013"
  12. ↑ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_topics/20140224_140224-PR2014-028-Defence-exp.pdf
  13. ↑ SME - Petit Press, a.s. "Slovensk armda je v kritickom stave, me to ma fatlne nsledky". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "(Nie) je armáda (obrana) už dávno v kríze?!" 24 April 2011
  15. ↑ "Armáda je v … ?!" 24 April 2011
  16. ↑ "Obrana po slovensky alebo Armda, kam a to doved...". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "United Nations Mission´s Summary detailed by Country 2014" 30 June 2014
  18. ↑ "Pôsobenie Slovenska v zahraničných misiách a operáciách"
  19. ↑ Jasmin. "EUFOR "Exercise Quick Response 2" begins". EUFOR ALTHEA. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  20. ↑ "B92 - Info - Slovakia pulling soldiers from Kosovo". B92. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "Účasť Slovenska v mierových operáciách NATO - Slovensko v NATO - Zahraničná politika - Ministerstvo zahraničných vecí a európskych záležitostí Slovenskej republiky". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  22. ↑ "Two Slovakian Soldiers Killed in Kabul Suicide Car Bomb". Defense News. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "20 Years of U.S. - Slovak Diplomatic Relations". Retrieved 24 December 2014.

External links

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