Slovak Air Force

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Slovak Air Force


caption=
dates= 1939-1945 1993-2008
country= Flag|Slovakia
allegiance=
branch=
type=
role=
size= 46 aircraft
command_structure=
garrison=
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
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march=
mascot=
equipment=
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1=Generalmajor Juraj Baránek
commander1_label=Air Froce Commander
commander2=
commander2_label=
commander3=
commander3_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Roundel
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=
aircraft_attack=Mi-24
aircraft_bomber=
aircraft_electronic=
aircraft_fighter=MiG-29
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_patrol=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_trainer=L-39
aircraft_transport=An-26, L-410, Mi-17

The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic ( _sk. Vzdušné sily armády Slovenskej republiky), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 46 aircraft from 3 major bases - Kuchyňa, Sliač, Prešov. The Slovak Air Force has been under the command of Generalmajor Juraj Baránek since November 2005.

The Slovak Air Force today

The Slovak Air Force is tasked with the defense of the sovereign Slovak state and the support of the nation's ground troops [http://www.mosr.sk/index.php?page=176|Slovak Ministry of Defence web site] . Russian combat aircraft MiG-29 and transport aircraft An-26 dominate the inventory, with the exception of the Czech built Aero L-39 jet trainers and Let L-410 transport aircraft. The helicopter fleet is composed entirely of Russian types, including the Mi-24 Hind and Mi-17 Hip.

History

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 Hungry in 1939, and took part in the invasion of Poland in support of Germany. During the Second World War, the Slovak Air force was charged with the defense of Slovakian airspace, and, after the invasion of Russia, provided air cover for Slovak forces fighting against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/2072/Slovakaf.html|Long, Jason. Eagals of the Tartras,:The Slovak Airforce 1939-1945,] . 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.

1945-1992

The end of the war brought about the reunification of Czechoslovakia, and the reunification of the armed forces. In 1948, Czechoslovakia became a Communist country with a centrally planned economy, and the air force adopted the aircraft and organization used by the Soviet Union.

1993 - present

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 [Ed. David Donald."The Pocket Guide to Military Aircraft and the World's Air Forces." Ed.David Donald. London:Hamlyn. 2001 ISBN 0-600-60302-4] . 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 underequiped 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 airforce replaced the Soviet style Aviation Regiment organization with the western wing and squadron system. [ [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/slovak/slovakaf2.htm Slovak Air Arms] . In the following years, Slovakia gradually retired many of the older aircraft, including the entire fleet of Su-22 attack bombers and MiG-21 interceptors. In 2004, the flight training academy and national aerobatic demonstration team Biele Albatrosy, both based at Košice, were disbanded. [ [http://www.scramble.nl/sk.htm Slovak Air Force] at Scramble]

In 2006 the Air Force lost a An-24 in a crash.

Bases and Commands

Surface to Air missiles fall under the command of Anti-aircraft Rocket Brigade Nitra, formerly the Czech 13th Anti-aircraft Rocket Regiment.

Aviation assets are divided between three major air bases throughout the country, at Malacky-Kuchyňa, Sliač, and Prešov.

Dopravné letecké krídlo (Air Transport Wing), based atMalacky-Kuchyňa [ [http://www.scramble.nl/sk.htm Scramble on the Web - Slovak Air Force ] ]
*1 Dopravný roj (Air Transport Squadron): An-26

*2 Dopravný roj (Air Transport Squadron): L-410

Stíhacie letecké krídlo (Fighter Air Wing), based at Sliač [ [http://www.scramble.nl/sk.htm Scramble on the Web - Slovak Air Force ] ]
*1 Stíhacia letka (Fighter Squadron 1): MiG-29

*2 Stíhacia letka (Fighter Squadron 2): L-39

*3 Spojovacia letka (Support Squadron): L-410

*Vyhľadávacia a záchranná služba (Combat Search and Rescue unit): Mi-17, Mi-8

Vrtuľníkové letecké krídlo (Mixed Helicopter Wing), based at Prešov [ [http://www.scramble.nl/sk.htm Scramble on the Web - Slovak Air Force ] ]
*1 Bitevná vrtuľníková letka (Attack Helicopter Sqauadron): Mi-24

*2 Dopravná vrtuľníková letka (Transport Helicopter Squadron): Mi-17

*3 Výcviková vrtuľníková letka (Training Helicopter Squadron): Mi-2

Current Equipment 1.10.2008

Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Number [ [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/slovak/slovakaf2.htm Slovak Air Arms] ] :! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Note
-----
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum
USSR
fighter
training
MiG-29AS
MiG-29UBS
10
2
8 MiG-29A and 1 MiG-29UB stored [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/slovakia/index.php Slovakia military aviation OrBat] ]
-----
Aero L-39 Albatros
flagicon|Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
attack
training
L-39ZA
L-39C
7
6
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Antonov An-26 Curl
USSR
transport
An-26
2
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Let L-410 Turbolet
flagicon|Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
transport
L-410FG
L-410T
L-410UVP
1
3
3
used for light transport, parachute training, photographic mapping and VIP transport [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/slovakia/index.php Slovakian military aviation OrBat] ]
-----
Mil Mi-24 Hind
USSR
attack
training
Mi-24V
Mi-24DU
10
1
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Mil Mi-17 Hip
USSR
transport
Mi-17
12
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Mil Mi-8 Hip
USSR
transport
Mi-8
1
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Mil Mi-2 Hoplite
POL
training
Mi-2
6
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*SA-6 Gainful - four batteries
*Almaz SA-10 Grumble - one batteries

References

See also

*Military of Slovakia
*Ground Forces of the Slovak Republic
*Slovak National Uprising
*2006 Slovak Air Force Antonov An-24 crash

External links

* [http://www.mosr.sk/index.php?page=176 Slovak Ministry of Defence page on the Slovak Air Force] (en,sk)
* [http://www.1sqn.sk/ Home page of Slovakia's 1 Fighter Squadron] (en,sk)
* [http://www.bielealbatrosy.sk/bielealbatrosy/index.html Website of the former Slovak Flight demonstration team] (en,sk)
* [http://www.vlake.sk/index.htm Website of the disbanded Slovak Military Flight Academy] (sk)
* [http://www.scramble.nl/sk.htm Scramble on the Web page for the Slovak Air Force] (en)
* [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/slovak/slovakaf2.htm Aeroflight World Airforces on Slovakia] (en)
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/2072/Slovakaf.html Eagles of the Tatras: The Slovak Airforce 1939 - 1945] (en)

European topic
title = Air Forces in Europe
suffix = _Air_Force
countries_only=yes |UK_only=yes