The Slovak Air Force will get rid of most of the existing transport aircraft and replace them with new ones. Today, the government described the transformation of the transport aviation of the armed forces as a strategic investment.
The Slovak Air Force currently has two C-27J Spartan twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft manufactured by the Italian company Leonardo (formerly Alenia Aermacchi). Slovakia signed their order in 2014 and delivered them in 2017-18. In addition to the F-16 fighters, these are the newest aircraft in our arsenal....
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic proposes the procurement of a new type of 2 twin-engine jet aircraft intended primarily to acquire a new transport capacity for the transport of passengers over medium distances with a capacity of up to 15 transported persons. From this description it follows that they will be smaller passenger planes of the business jet category....
The financial coverage of the purchase of twin-engine jet aircraft is to be provided by the sale, exchange or consideration for decommissioned light transport aircraft L-410. Of the current seven pieces of L-410, the Ministry of Defense wants to keep 2-3 machines, which will be used mainly for personnel training, leaving a sufficient supply of spare parts for their operation...
There is no specific mention in the proposal of possible new types for the Slovak Air Force. However, it can be rightly assumed that the Brazilian Embraer C-390 will be a significant contender. This twin-engine jet has performance on par with the four-engine turboprop C-130 Hercules. The C-390 has a maximum transport capacity of 26 tons and with a load of 14 tons has a range of 5020 km. It is also bought by our neighbors – Hungary and the Czech Republic, two each, and Austria four machines.
Slovakia indicates the Embraer C-390 Millennium as the best option for its future military transport aircraft
The Slovak Ministry of Defense today signed a Letter of Intent with the Brazilian Ministry of Defense, paving the way for a deeper industrial cooperation between the two countries. During this visit to Brazil, the Slovak Minister of Defense acknowledged that the Embraer C-390 is the option that better fits Slovakia’s future military transport requirements. It has also been mentioned the importance of the neighboring countries that have already acquired the C-390, enabling synergies in terms of training, logistics and cooperation in the future capabilities and growth of their fleets. The Slovak Ministry of Defense will start formal steps toward the purchase of three C-390s in January 2025.
“The C-390 is currently the best aircraft in its category due to its cost efficiency, versatility and reliability, being able to perform the most demanding missions anytime, anywhere. We are confident that the C-390 is the most suitable aircraft to meet the needs of the Slovak Air Force,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President & CEO of Embraer Defense & Security.
