The Slovak air force plans to acquire a new fleet of transport aircraft within the next five years, as its remaining three Antonov An-24/26s are nearing the end of their operational lives, the country’s defence ministry says. The ministry has yet to determine how many replacement aircraft will be sought, or how much funding will be required for the purchase, writes Lubomir Sedlak.
Slovakia has since 2000 focused on modernising its Soviet-era Antonovs, but this strategy has been called into question following the crash of an An-24 in Hungary last month, killing 42 personnel. The air force has just one aircraft of each type available, with one An-26 undergoing an avionics upgrade.
The country also intends to operate 10 Mil Mi-24 assault helicopters and 12 MiG-29s until at least 2010. The latter will complete an RSK MiG modernisation programme by year-end.
Source: Flight International
