Slovak Air Force

The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Vzdušné Sily Ozbrojených Síl Slovenskej Republiky), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 38 aircraft from 3 major bases : Malacky - Kuchyňa, Sliač, Prešov. It succeeded the Czechoslovak Air Force together with the Czech Air Force in 1993. The Slovak Air Force is part of NATO Integrated Air Defense System - NATINADS.

The Slovak Air Force is tasked with the defense of the sovereign Slovak state and the support of the nation's ground troops. Twelve Russian upgraded fighter aircraft MiG-29    together with eight modernized basic and light advanced trainers Aero L-39 dominate the inventory, followed by the Let L-410 and Antonov An-26 transport aircraft. The helicopter fleet consists of the eight Mil Mi-17 and two Mil Mi-2. Eight Mil Mi-24 were withdrawn from service on September 20, 2011. The Slovak Air Force has been under the command of Brigadier General Miroslav Korba since September 15, 2012.

1939 - 1945
After the division of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany in 1939, Slovakia was left with a small air force composed primarily of Czechoslovakian combat aircraft. This force defended Slovakia against Hungary in 1939, and took part in the invasion of Poland in support of Germany. During the World War II, the Slovak Air force was charged with the defense of Slovak airspace, and, after the invasion of Russia, provided air cover for Slovak forces fighting against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. While engaged on the Eastern Front, Slovakia’s obsolete biplanes were replaced with German combat aircraft, including the Messerschmitt Bf 109. The air force was sent back to Slovakia after combat fatigue and desertion had reduced the pilots' effectiveness. Slovak air units took part in the Slovak National Uprising against Germany from late August 1944. The Slovak National Uprising (Slovenské národné povstanie, abbreviated SNP) or 1944 Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. It was launched on August 29, 1944 from Banská Bystrica in an attempt to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak State of Jozef Tiso. Although the rebel forces were defeated by Nazi Germany, guerrilla warfare continued until the Soviet Army occupied Slovakia in 1945.

1946 - 1992
During this time Czechoslovakia was member of the Eastern Bloc, allied with the Soviet Union, and from 1955 a member of the Warsaw Pact. Because of this, the Czechoslovak Air Force used Soviet aircraft, doctrines and tactics. The types of aircraft were mostly MiGs. Fighters MiG-15, MiG-19 and MiG-21F was produced in license; in 1970s, MiG-23MF were bought, accompanied by MiG-23ML and MiG-29s in 1980s.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Czechoslovak Air Force consisted of the 7th Air Army, which had air defense duties, and the 10th Air Army, responsible for ground forces support. The 7th Air Army had two air divisions and three fighter regiments, and the 10th Air Army had two air divisions and a total of six regiments of fighters and attack aircraft. There were also two reconnaissance regiments, two transport regiments, three training regiments, and two helicopter regiments.

In November 1989 the communist leaders and guidelines fell across Czechoslovakia. The two parliaments of the two new states the Czech republic and Slovakia, dissolved their union on 1 January 1993. The assets of the former air force were divided 2:1 in the Czech favor, and thus the Slovak Air Force was (re)formed. However the 20 MiG 29s were shared equally between the two countries.

1993 - 2013
After the formal dissolution of Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993, Czech and Slovak aircraft were divided according to each nation's population, in a ratio of nearly 2:1 in the Czech Republic's favor. The exceptions to this rule were the MiG-23's, which were given exclusively to the Czech Air force, and the MiG-29's, which were divided evenly between the two nations. Slovak bases were initially under-equipped to handle the aircraft transferred from the Czech bases, and required considerable improvements in infrastructure to facilitate the new air force. On March 1, 1995, the air force replaced the Soviet style Aviation Regiment organization with the western wing and squadron system. Around 2000-2002, Slovakia gradually retired many of the older aircraft, including the entire fleet of Su-22, Su-25 and MiG-21. In 2004, the flight training academy and national aerobatic demonstration team Biele Albatrosy, both based at Košice, were disbanded.

On January 19, 2006 the Slovak Air Force lost an Antonov An-24 in a crash. On September 20, 2011 all of the remaining Mil Mi-24 were retired.

Bases and Commands
Aviation assets are divided between three major air bases throughout the country, at Malacky-Kuchyňa, Sliač and Prešov. The headquarters of the air force is at Zvolen.

Headquarters of Slovak Air Force (Veliteľstvo Vzdušných síl OS SR), based at Zvolen

Transport Wing (Dopravné krídlo), based at Malacky-Kuchyňa


 * 1st Transport Flight (1. Dopravný roj): An-26


 * 2nd Transport Flight (2. Dopravný roj): L-410

Mixed Wing (Zmiešané krídlo), based at Sliač


 * 1st Squadron (1. Letka): MiG-29AS, MiG-29UBS


 * 2nd Squadron (2. Letka): L-39CM, L-39ZAM

Helicopter Wing (Vrtuľníkové krídlo), based at Prešov


 * 1st Training and SAR Squadron (1. Výcviková a LPZS letka): Mi-17SAR
 * 2nd Transport Helicopter Squadron (2. Dopravná vrtuľníková letka): Mi-17M

Anti-aircraft Rocket Brigade (Protilietadlová raketová brigáda), based at Nitra
 * 1st Anti-aircraft Rocket Group (1. Protilietadlová raketová skupina, Nitra): SA-10B Grumble (S-300 PMU)


 * 2nd Anti-aircraft Rocket Group (2. Protilietadlová raketová skupina, Nitra): SA-6 Gainful (2K12 Kub 2M)

Command, Control and Surveillance Brigade (Brigáda velenia, riadenia a prieskumu), based at Zvolen

Retired aircraft of the Slovak Air Force

 * Aero L-29 Delfin trainer aircraft (2002)
 * Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter aircraft (2002)
 * Sukhoi Su-22 ground attack aircraft (2000)
 * Sukhoi Su-25 close air support aircraft (1999)
 * Antonov An-12 transport aircraft (1999)
 * Antonov An-24 transport aircraft (2006)
 * Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter (2011)
 * Mil Mi-8 VIP helicopter (2012)
 * Mil Mi-2 trainer helicopter (2013)