IDEB 2014 declared open by Minister of Defence (May 14) SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč, together with SVK President Ivan Gašparovič, declared open the International Defence Exhibition IDEB 2014. More than 160 domestic and foreign exhibitors presented themselves at the exhibition. On this occasion, Department of Defence marked the 10th anniversary of our membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. “This exhibition provides a forum for gaining further insight as to what is currently being produced in the defence industry, and such forum may help the exhibitors establish new forms of cooperation,” said Head of Department of Defence. SVK Ministry of Defence prepared an active presentation in the exterior of the Incheba premises, free for all the visitors. The autograph session took place, with sportsmen form MSC Dukla Banská Bystrica being present, and the visitors could watch dynamic demonstrations and static displays of equipment operated by our soldiers on a daily basis. ● The training of military working dog handlers from the SVK Military Police and the CZ Military Police in the vicinity of Brezno reached its final stage on 16 May. It was attended by a total of 30 dog handlers, with the same number of military working dogs, being in service of the SVK Armed Forces, Prison and Court Guard Corps, Police Corps. Organized under the long-term cooperation scheme between the Slovak and Czech Republics, the training was designed to enable practical expertise and information sharing in the field of canine handling for the purposes of military and law enforcement components.
A. F. Rasmussen in Slovakia (May 15) NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a ending the GLOBSEC security conference in Bra slava, met on 15 May with President Ivan Gašparovič and SVK Minister of Defence Mar n Glváč. “Accession to NATO ten years ago was a strategic decision for the future of our country,” said the President. According to the President, we perceive NATO not only as a poli cal organiza on but also as a guarantee of security and protec on from external threats. The Minister of Defence informed NATO Secretary General about ambi ons of Department of Defence in the field of moderniza on and armaments. “I am glad that we meet at the me when decisions of the crucial importance in the history of modern Slovak Republic are being taken. The Security Council of the Slovak Republic and the Government endorsed the SVK Air Force Concep on, which is a fundamental strategic document. We have taken necessary measures to ensure that as much money as possible is invested in the moderniza on and procurement of equipment. Our primary aim is to launch the rearmament of small arms and moderniza on of wheel equipment. In the months to come, we intend to launch an acquisi on project with respect to a lease of flying hours for supersonic avia on,” stated the Minister. Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his opinion on the situa on in Ukraine and on the steps taken recently by the Alliance in support of its own defence capability. He appealed for mee ng commitment of NATO allies to spend 2% of their GDP on defense. According to him, the quality of spent resources is equally important as the volume of security spending. In this respect, he par cularly emphasized a need to encourage and increase investment in moderniza on of the armed forces.
● Outgoing Commander Training Battalion Martin Lt Col Roman Petrík handed over his responsibilities to Lt Col Róbert Kecsö on 13 May. The position handover ceremony was attended, among others, by Commander Training and Support Forces (COM TSF) Col Martin Stoklasa, GS, and Director Personnel Department Liptovský Mikuláš Col Ivan Sálaši. Incoming COM TB Martin Lt Col Róbert Kecsö had served in different positions at Martin Garrison, reporting from his previous assignment as Deputy Commander Training Battalion Martin (DCOM TB Martin). He had also gained experience during his tour of duty in ISAF in Afghanistan.
Visit of national representatives
(May 13) Head of corps of national military representatives from NATO countries at Shape, Norwegian Major General Trond R. Karlsen, met with SVK Chief of the Defence Staff Lieutenant General Milan Maxim in Bratislava, which was chosen a venue for national military representatives’ meeting in Slovakia. Lt. Gen. Milan Maxim emphasized the activities of the national military representatives from the allied countries and greatly appreciated their role as one of the most important element representing the national commands at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The national military representatives from NATO countries also met with State Secretary Miloš Koterec. The delegation made a visit to the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces and consequently visited Sliač Air Base and the Training Centre Lešť, where they were briefed on practical activities and tasks of the NATO EOD Centre of Excellence and the National EOD Centre Nováky.
● Trenčín-based Slovak National Uprising Barracks (SNU BKS Trenčín) hosted a position handover ceremony in the presence of key SNU BKS HQ staff on 15 May. During the ceremony Col Miroslav Ollé assumed the responsibilities of Deputy Commander Combat Support Brigade (DCOM CS BDE). He had returned to SNU BKS Trenčín after his four-year assignment as Commander National Centre EOD Nováky (COM NC EOD Nováky). Also in attendance at the handover ceremony was Commander SVK Training and Support Forces (COM SVK TSF) Col Martin Stoklasa, GS. ● Exercise SPRING BREEZE 2014 unfolded on the premises of the Repairs Battalion Martin (RPRS BN Martin) on 13-15 May, taking on the form of a tactical exercise and involving members of the National Support Element (NSE) earmarked for NRF 2015. The exercise was aimed at consolidating the NSE command staff element in executing planned and unplanned assignments under NRF 2015, increasing the level of coordination in planning and managing logistics support, and testing the unit's readiness to conduct repairs (Levels 2 and 3) in favour of the supported troops. The training exercise brought together exercising troops, including members of the RPRS BN Martin, Transport and Multifunctional Battalion Hlohovec (MfBN Hlohovec), and Combat Support Brigade Headquarters. ● The Commando Special Operations Advisory Group (CDO SOAG) was visited by Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) General Sir Adrian Bradshaw on Friday 16 May. DSACEUR was accompanied by Deputy Commander NATO Special Operations Component Command – Afghanistan (DCOM NSOCC-A) Admiral Tim Szymanski. General Sir Adrian Bradshaw was particularly interested in the ongoing tasks of the CDO SOAG in the process of developing the Afghan Special Operations Forces. ● To commemorate the Day of Victory over Nazism, a medalaward ceremony was held on 13 May, with service personnel receiving the Military Medals of the Chief of the Slovak President's Military Office (SVK PMO). Six service members and one civilian employee took over the Certificate of the Military Medal of the Chief of the SVK PMO from the hands of Lt Gen Marián Áč. In his speech, Lt Gen Áč thanked the awarded personnel for their high quality work in favour of the President, the Slovak Republic, and the SVK Armed Forces.
John R. Allen delivers a speech
(May 15) The future of Afghanistan and especially that of the Afghan Security Forces (ASF) were among the main themes of the speech delivered by General John R. Allen, former Commander ISAF (COM ISAF), at the Slovak Ministry of Defence. The Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Security gave an assessment of NATO's 10-year-long engagement in Afghanistan. In his speech, he highlighted the overall progress made in Afghanistan, ranging from the improved security situation and higher quality of the Afghan Security Forces, through to higher literacy and life expectancy. He alerted the audience to the challenges that lie ahead of Afghanistan, the region as such and the international community. The issue of having the ISAF mission replaced by Operation Resolute Support at the end of this year is of great importance also for Slovakia. In this respect, General John R. Allen emphasized the need to ensure the continuity of training for the Afghan Security Forces (ASF) as a basic pillar of Afghanistan's future. As part of his visit to the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, General John R. Allen met with 1st Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Peter Gajdoš and 2nd Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff SVK Armed Forces Maj Gen Pavel Macko.
Martin Glváč: V4 convert ties into tangible projects
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(May 16) Cooperation within the V4 countries has moved through the stage of entering into general
agreements and arrangements and has reached the stage when tangible projects start taking shape. This was concluded by SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč after he met with the Czech Minister of Defence Martin Stropnický and Head of the Polish Department of Defence Tomasz Siemoniak at the international defence exhibition IDEB in Bratislava. “I would say we work towards ambitious goals. Together with the Czech Republic we are debating the issue of wheel equipment and small arms and together with the Czech Republic and Poland we examine the issue of prospective acquisition of radars,” said Head of SVK MOD. “The conditions for launching the joint projects are optimum because we can understand each other very well. We are not duty bound to meet within V4 but we
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meet to push ideas and projects forward,” said Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Martin Stropnický. Also the Polish Minister of Defence Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed determination to launch the joint projects within the Visegrad Group. “Our ambition is to reach tangible results. This exhibition is a venue for introducing the most interesting products of national industries,” noted the Polish Minister of Defence. As far as the particular projects, he raised the issue of organizing a joint exercise on a yearly basis. “We also work towards setting up the joint V4 combat group,” he added. At IDEB, Slovak and Polish Ministers of Defence concluded a framework agreement on cooperation in the field of education, training, military operations abroad, defence policy and defence planning.
May 12 - 18, 2014