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Military of Slovakia;
	; Logo of the Slovakian Army
Manpower
Military age	17 years of age
Available for; military service	1,400,567, age 15–49
Fit for; military service	1,100,751, age 15–49
Reaching military; age annually	40,000
Active personnel	23,350
Reserve personnel	26,700
Expenditures
Budget	$1.35 billion (2008)
Percent of GDP	1.4 (2006-10)[1]

The Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic number 23,350 uniformed personnel. Slovakia joined NATO in March 2004[2].From the year 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished.

[edit] Structure of the Armed Forces

Ground Forces - are made up of two active mechanized infantry brigades. One armoured division and one paramilitary brigade in strategic reserve.

Air and Air defense Forces - comprising one wing of fighters, one wing of attack and utility helicopters, and one SAM brigade.

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 soldiers on parade

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.

[edit] Combat equipment

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

Small arms & hand weapons:

ČZ vz. 82
Vz. 52 rifle
Sa vz. 58 standard service rifle
Heckler & Koch G36 only used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
Škorpion vz. 61
Heckler & Koch MP5 only used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
Heckler & Koch UMP only used by the 5th Special Forces Regiment
Uk vz. 59 machine gun
Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD)
AT-4 Spigot
SA-16 Gimlet

[edit] Ground Forces

Main Battle Tanks
- T-72 - 245
- T-72M1A - 66 (modernised to Slovak upgrade)[3]
- T-72M2 Moderna - only a few trial versions
APC's
- BVP-1 - 308 (72)
- BVP-2 - 91
- BPsV - 71
- OT-90 - 205 (56)

Slovak soldiers with the vz. 58 erecting a barrier.

Artillery
- 120 mm mortar - 37
- D-30 122 mm - 74
- 2S1 Gvozdika - 49
- RM-70 - 87 (26 upgraded to NATO MODULAR)
- DANA 152 mm - 135
- ShKH Zuzana 155 mm NATO - 16
- PLdvK vz. 53/59 - 206

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

Slovakian T-72

BMP-1

DANA

RM-70

Note -- Some is in reserve but all listed equipment is operable until 2010 and beyond [4]

[edit] Air Force

Slovak MiG-29AS

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

Slovak Mil Mi-24 Hind

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

[edit] Special Forces

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Peacekeeping missions

Slovakia has 750 personnel deployed worldwide for NATO- and United Nations-led peace support operations (PSOs) as well as an engineering unit in Afghanistan. Slovakia has markedly increased its commitment to KFOR and SFOR in Kosovo and Bosnia in 2002. Since the independence of Slovakia in 1993, there have been 53 uniformed personnel deaths in the line of service (by 2008).

[edit] External links

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