Slovakia bolsters air power with two more F-16s Photo

Slovakia has received two additional F-16 fighter jets, increasing its fleet as part of a major military upgrade.

The new aircraft landed on April 2 at the Kuchyňa military airfield, located near Bratislava, marking the latest delivery in a series of planned acquisitions, Caliber.Az reports via Slovak media.

Slovakia now has five of the 14 F-16s it ordered from the United States, following the arrival of three fighters in 2024.

Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kalinák confirmed that the country expects the delivery of six more jets by September 2025. Originally scheduled to begin in 2022, the shipment of the F-16s was delayed until 2024.

The acquisition forms part of Slovakia’s efforts to strengthen its air defences amid growing security concerns in the region.

To recall, Slovakia became a member of NATO on March 29, 2004, during the Alliance's eastward expansion following the end of the Cold War. Its membership strengthened the country’s security and political ties with Western nations.

As a NATO member, Slovakia participates in joint defence initiatives, military exercises, and peacekeeping operations. Its strategic location in Central Europe positions it as a vital partner in European and transatlantic security.

Slovakia supports NATO’s collective defence principle and has contributed to various international missions, notably in Afghanistan and Kosovo, while also investing in modernising its military capabilities in alignment with NATO standards.

By Aghakazim Guliyev