Slovakia prepares to buy six air defense systems from Israel By Reuters

(Reuters) – Slovakia’s government on Wednesday approved plans to buy six mobile air defense systems from Israel for 554.3 million euros ($616.88 million), it said on its website, in while the NATO member state strengthens its airspace protection.

The government also approved the purchase of more than 1,300 6×6 and 8×8 heavy vehicles in a joint procurement with the Czech Republic at an estimated cost of €708.3 million, which will replace the aging trucks.

Slovakia, whose neighbor Ukraine has been fighting a Russian invasion since 2022, has sought to boost air defense capabilities.

It was part of NATO’s efforts to strengthen the eastern flank of the military alliance. Defense Minister Robert Kalinak said priorities should be on defense capabilities, especially air defense.

Last month, it took delivery of the first two of 14 new F-16 fighter jets.

The government did not name the defense system to be bought from Israel in a government-to-government deal.

Slovakia operates the medium-range 2K12 KUB system, which was at the end of its life cycle, the defense ministry said in a document published on Wednesday.

Under a previous government, Slovakia donated its aging S-300 air defense system to Ukraine, a decision criticized by the current administration for diminishing the country’s air defense capabilities.

(1 USD = 0.8986 euros)