The Slovak Ministry of Defense has confirmed that they has recently handed the last batch of the 30 tracked BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) over to Ukraine under an equipment exchange programme between the Slovak Ministry of Defence and the German Federal Ministry of Defence. The first one of the 15 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks (MBTs), which Germany has promised to supply in order to bolster Slovakia’s defences, is set to arrive as early as this December. Once overhauled and upgraded, the Leopard 2A4 MBTs will be delivered into service with the Slovakian Army along with an initial tank package of ammunition, spare parts, and logistics support.

On this occasion, Defence Minister Jaroslav Na? said: “Subsequently, we will receive delivery of one or two MBTs every month throughout 2023 until all of the 15 MBTs have been brought into operational service in Slovakia. These tanks will considerably reinforce our Tank Battalion as we follow through on our commitment to stand up the Heavy Mechanised Brigade under our NATO Capability Targets. My thanks go out to Germany for the excellent cooperation we have had in the field of defence at the bilateral level.”

As well as this, Slovakian military personnel will get trained on the tank by the Bundeswehr. The current number of T-72s in the Slovakian Army is neither sufficient nor meets the Alliance’s minimum armoured capability requirements. The standup of the Heavy Mechanised Brigade is one of Slovakia’s key commitments vis-à-vis the Alliance. Worldwide, Leopard 2 main battle tanks are operated by 18 countries. For example, Poland and Hungary, while Czechia is soon to follow. This will simplify regional collaboration on logistics support and upgrades to the Leopard Leopard 2 main battle tanks .

The BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1) is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle. The BMP-1 was the first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) of the Soviet Union. The Soviet military leadership saw any future wars as being conducted with nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. BMP-1s were produced under license by Czechoslovakia (BVP-1). 2,252 ordered in 1973 and delivered between 1973 and 1989 (most produced in Czechoslovakia while the rest was imported from the Soviet Union). 1,006 BVP-1 and BVP-1KS, 265 BPzV “Svatava” reconnaissance vehicles and 620 OT-90 APCs right before the breakup of Czechoslovakia, passed on to successor states.