The Slovak authorities accredited sending MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine stepping up its army help to Kyiv in its battle towards the Russian invasion. Slovakia is the second nation to ship conflict planes to Kyiv after Poland, which introduced by Prime Minister Eduard Heger mentioned on Thursday it might accomplish that. Its fleet of 11 MiG-29 planes was retired final summer season and most of them are usually not in operational situation. NATO allies within the former communist japanese europe equivalent to Poland and Slovakia have been significantly vocal supporters of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine. Slovakia may also provide a part of its KUB air-defence system.

Inherited from Czechoslovakia, 10 MiG-29ASs and 1 MiG-29UBS have been in service Slovak Air Pressure as of 2021. Work is finished by Russian Plane Company MiG and Western companies, ranging from 2005. The plane now has navigation and communications programs from Rockwell Collins, an IFF system from BAE Techniques, new glass cockpit options multi-function LC shows and digital processors and in addition fitted to be combine with Western gear sooner or later. They have been formally withdrawn from service on 31 August 2022. Slovakia signed a deal to purchase 14 U.S. F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets, however supply was pushed again two years to early 2024.

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Slovak Armed Forces 2K12 Kub “SA-6 Gainful” cellular surface-to-air missile system. (Picture Reddit)

The Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting title: Fulcrum) is a twin-engine fighter plane designed within the Soviet Union. Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter in the course of the Seventies, the MiG-29, together with the bigger Sukhoi Su-27, was developed to counter new U.S. fighters such because the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and the Basic Dynamics F-16 Combating Falcon. The MiG-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in 1983. Whereas initially oriented in the direction of fight towards any enemy plane, many MiG-29s have been furnished as multirole fighters able to performing a lot of completely different operations.

The 2K12 “Kub” (NATO reporting title: SA-6 “Gainful”) cellular surface-to-air missile system is a Soviet low to medium-level air defence system designed to guard floor forces from air assault. 2K12 is the GRAU designation of the system. The battery often additionally contains 4 triple-missile transporter erector launchers (TELs), and 4 vehicles, every carrying three spare missiles and a crane. The TEL relies on a GM-578 chassis, whereas the 1S91 radar automobile relies on a GM-568 chassis, all developed and produced by MMZ. The Slovak Air Defence had 4 2K12s with C2 Tatrapan PVO.