The German MANTIS anti-aircraft system, which was only recently acquired by the former government, may no longer protect Slovak airspace. At the time, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said: „It is a short-range system that would help to protect the towns in eastern Slovakia.“
It would also protect a plant for repairing Ukrainian equipment near Michalovce.
The current Defence Minister, Robert Kalinak, said Slovakia is not sufficiently protected since it handed over the S300 to Ukraine. The Defence Ministry says that it is negotiating with Israel and Poland to buy medium and short-range air defence system.
Robert Kalinak: „It is surprising to me that the long-range air defence is not part of the discussions. Because we donated a long-range S300 system and the Kubs were medium-range.“
General Daniel Zmeko says that the Israeli medium-range system can fully replace the S300 system, and more: „It also has protection against ballistic missiles, which the S300 system had limited. Moreover, it is modern, new and will have missiles with dual use capability that means short, medium or long missile.“
Meanwhile, Minister Kalinak said on a Sunday talk show he was also considering Patriot air defence systems from the US. These are much more expensive. But in Parliament yesterday, Kalinak suggested he might persuade the Americans to swap a deal for Viper helicopters, for credit on the acquisition or lease of Patriot.
For the short term, Slovakia will have to persuade Berlin to leave its Mantis system a little longer, said Kalinak. Berlin was planning to withdraw its anti-aircraft system.
Robert Kalinak: „We would like to ask Germany to prolong it, because it should end at the turn of March and April. We would have no protection of airspace.“
