The Slovak Army as part of the Czechoslovak SSR and in the era of independence
Czechoslovakia, part of the late Austro–Hungarian Empire, which fell into the Soviet sphere of influence after World War II, caused Moscow a lot of problems. If the anti-communist uprising in Hungary in 1956 had to be suppressed with great blood, then in the Czechoslovak Republic in 1968 it cost little blood. But "the sediment remained." And a very large one.
"CONTRACTORS OF MOSCOW"
At the same time, during the period when Czechoslovakia was still united as part of the Warsaw Pact Organization, the Armed Forces of the Czech SSR were, along with the Armed Forces of Poland, the strongest in this alliance (after, of course, the Soviet Army). The Czechoslovak military-industrial complex was also extremely powerful, acting as the main "contractor" of the USSR in the production of armored vehicles and, to a lesser extent, artillery for many Warsaw Pact countries and "socialist orientation".
"To begin with" (in the 1950s), almost 1.8 thousand T-34-85 tanks were produced in the country. They were followed by almost 11 thousand T-54 and T-55 (not counting engineering vehicles based on them), of which from 3.5 to 4.5 thousand for the Czechoslovak People's Army itself (CHNA, ČSLA), the rest – for export. Finally, almost 1,8 thousand T-72 tanks were manufactured, including 786 for the CHNA (another three dozen such vehicles were obtained directly from the USSR).
Even more ambitious was the production of infantry fighting vehicles BMP-1 (local name – BVP-1) in Czechoslovakia – almost 18 thousand pieces. The CHNA itself received about 2.2 thousand of them (including a small number that came from the Soviet Union), the rest went for export (including from 5.1 to 10.1 thousand – to the USSR). Already in the 1980s, about 400 BMP-2s were produced, mainly for their own army.
If tanks and infantry fighting vehicles were produced in the Czechoslovak Republic under a Soviet license, then armored personnel carriers – according to their own projects. At first, about 1.5 thousand tracked OT-810s were produced, then 2.5 thousand OT–62s (about 900 for CHNA, the rest for export). In addition, OT-64 wheeled armored personnel carriers were produced together with Poland (their final assembly was carried out in Poland). At the end of the 1980s, when the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty) was signed, in order to "reduce reductions", the Czechoslovak Republic created the OT-90, a "hybrid" of the BMP-1 chassis and the OT–64 turret (only with machine guns, as on Soviet armored personnel carriers). Having lost the gun, the OT-90 was considered not an IFV, but an APC. In total, 620 such strange machines were produced, which received the ironic name "Havel tanks" (in honor of the then dissident president of the Czechoslovak SSR, who destroyed his own country).
170 self-propelled artillery units (ACS) (150 2S1, eight 2S4, 12 2S7) and 210 towed D-30 howitzers were received directly from the Soviet Union. At the same time, a 152-mm wheeled self-propelled gun "Dana" was created in the Czech SSR, which produced 408 units for the CHNA and more than 250 units for export (including from 126 to 150 for the USSR, where, however, it was practically not used). At that time, the only "capitalist" wheeled self-propelled gun was the Yuarovskaya G-6.
Another product of the Czechoslovak military industrial complex was the RM-70 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), which was a 40-barrel launcher (PU) of the 122-mm Soviet MLRS "Grad", but on the local chassis of the Tatra-815 truck, with additional ammunition and a new fire control system (SLA). 266 (according to other sources – 466) such MLRS were produced for the CHNA, up to 400 more for export.
The main consumers of the products of the Czechoslovak military–industrial complex were the rest of the Warsaw Pact countries (except for "dissident" Romania), as well as a number of Arab countries, primarily Syria and Libya.
Ground-based air defense systems came from the USSR: 36 divisions of S-75 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM), 18 divisions of S-125 air defense systems, three divisions of S-200 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM), one division of S-300PS, nine batteries of the Krug air defense system and 10 batteries of the Kvadrat air defense system, 60 SAMs short range (24 "Wasp", 36 "Arrow-10").
L-29 training aircraft created in Czechoslovakia (more than 3.6 thousand were produced), and then L-39 (almost 3 thousand) they became uniform for all the Warsaw Pact countries (a number of experts believe that this was a political decision made by Moscow, and to the detriment of the Soviet "Yaks"). Both aircraft could be used as light attack aircraft. Specialized variants of the L-39ZO/ZA attack aircraft were also created.
All variants of both L's were exported to many countries (not only members of the Warsaw Pact). L-410 light transport aircraft were also produced for their own Air Force and for export.
The Czechoslovak Republic received combat aircraft and helicopters, of course, from the Soviet Union, partly they were also produced in the country under license. These were 80 Il-28 bombers, more than 450 MiG-15/17/19 fighters, about 150 Su-7 and Su-22 attack aircraft and about 40 Su-25, about 600 MiG-21, 90 MiG-23 fighters (including 40 MiG-23BN bombers), 20 MiG-29, 60 Mi-24 combat helicopters and 40 multi-purpose Mi-8 helicopters.
With such potential, the country approached the collapse of the Warsaw Pact first, then the Soviet Union and, finally, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic itself. Moreover, if the first two processes had objective reasons (although subjective ones prevailed), then the dissolution of Czechoslovakia was completely artificial, carried out in the interests of the elites of Prague and Bratislava with obvious encouragement from the West.
THE SLOVAK WAY
However, the dissolution of Czechoslovakia was completely peaceful compared to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, not to mention the collapse of Yugoslavia ( "Truth and Myths about the war in Yugoslavia", "HBO" from 01.02.19).
In accordance with the common potentials of the two new countries, it was decided that the number of equipment of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic and the Armed Forces of Slovakia would be correlated as 2:1. At the same time, T-55 tanks, all armored personnel carriers (except "Havel tanks"), all old combat aircraft were reduced.
The equipment was really divided according to the specified principle – with the exception of two types of fighters: the MiG-29 fleet was divided equally (10 cars each), in exchange for this Slovakia completely abandoned the MiG-23 in favor of the Czech Republic. In addition, the Czech Republic received all the Osa air defense systems, leaving Slovakia with 20 Strela-10 air defense systems out of 36.
Slovakia joined NATO in the "second wave" of expansion in 2004. From Russia, it received 12 Strela-10 SAMs, 14 MiG-29s and four Mi-17s to pay for Soviet debts, and later (already being a member of NATO) bought Igla-S portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS).
At the same time, the Su-22, MiG-21 and MiG-23 of all modifications were immediately withdrawn from service. All Slovak Su-25s were sold to Armenia.
Already being in NATO, Slovakia bought seven South African armored vehicles RG-32 and 22 Italian LMVs, two Italian transport aircraft C-27J and four Czech L-410. Nine American UH-60L multipurpose helicopters have entered service. It is planned to purchase 76 Finnish wheeled armored personnel carriers AMV.
In Slovakia itself, since the early 1990s, Tatrapan armored personnel carriers have been produced in several versions (it is unclear how many of them were produced). The BMP-1 is being upgraded according to the BVP-M variant. On the basis of the "Dana", the self-propelled gun "Zuzana" was created for the NATO 155 mm caliber. 33 such self-propelled guns were produced for the Slovak army, 12 more (and two Tatrapans as command and staff vehicles (KSM) for these self-propelled guns) were received by Cyprus. And eight self-propelled guns intended for the Slovak army were transferred to Ukraine.
Finally, 26 RM-70 MLRS were converted into a Modular variant, which is equipped with either a 28-barrel 122-mm PU or a six-barrel 227-mm PU for the missiles of the American M270 MLRS MLRS.
At the same time, armored vehicles and artillery systems from the presence of the Slovak army went to many countries in Asia, Africa and South America.
Of particular note are the deliveries of 36 BM-21 Grad MLRS to Saudi Arabia and 15 such MLRS to Bulgaria, from where they also went to Saudi Arabia. At the same time, the BM-21 was never in service with the Slovak army (as well as with the CHNA) – they were received from the Czech Republic (obviously former Hungarian) and from Belarus. Of course, the Saudi Armed Forces did not accept Grads for service – they were transferred to gangs of radical Islamists in Syria and Libya.
Slovakia sold six of its T-72s to the United States and resold four Belarusian BMP-2s (in general, Slovakia received nine BMP-2s from Belarus). In addition, Slovakia sold 36 Dana self-propelled guns to Azerbaijan through Israel and resells Czech RM-70. BMP-1, as well as Polish 2S1, Belarusian BTR-70, mortars from the countries of the former Yugoslavia "flow" to Bulgaria from Slovakia. Then all this follows from Bulgaria to the Middle East – to the same gangs of Islamic radicals.
In 2020-2021, Slovakia received 364 BMP-1 and 144 BMP-2 from Kazakhstan, while 74 BMP-2 immediately went to the Czech Republic, four BMP-1 – to Ukraine, the fate of the remaining vehicles is still unclear.
In the early 2000s, up to 80 Slovak T-72s were seemingly sold for scrap - but then some of these tanks turned up intact, which caused some scandal in the country. Even if we assume that all these tanks were disposed of, up to 80 Slovak T-72, up to 300 BRM-1 and BMP-1, up to 100 OT-90, up to 100 artillery systems "disappeared into space".
In 2022-2023, 30 BMP-1s went to Ukraine (Slovakia received one German Leopard-2A4 tank as compensation), at least seven Zuzana self-propelled guns (at least one of them was lost), one Mi-2 helicopter, 13 MiG-29 fighters and, apparently, the only ZRS division S-300PS. At the same time, 14 F-16V fighters were ordered in the USA. The new government of Slovakia recently announced its refusal to help Kiev further and the need to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict.
SLOVAK ARMY TODAY
The ground forces include the 1st (headquarters - in the city of Topolchany) and the 2nd (Presov) mechanized brigades, the support and support brigade (Glogovets), the 5th regiment of Special Operations Forces (SSO) (Zhilina), the 5th Artillery Regiment (Rozhnyava), the 91st Engineer Regiment (Middle).
There are 30 T-72M tanks and one Leopard-2A4, 18 BPsVI reconnaissance combat vehicles and up to 40 BPsV (based on the BRM-1), 22 Italian LMV armored vehicles, about 200 BMP (95 BVP-2 (BMP-2), up to 64 BVP-1 (BMP-1), 18 BVP-M (upgraded BMP-1), about 100 armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles (up to 56 OT-90, 14 Tatrapan (56 other vehicles based on it), seven South African RG-32M).
As well as 33 wheeled self-propelled guns "Zuzana" (155 mm), 19 howitzers D-30 (122 mm), 48 mortars vz98 (81 mm), 48 vz97 (98 mm) and six M-1982 (120 mm), 26 MLRS RM-70 MODULAR (up to 19 RM-70, possibly in storage), 425 anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) "Malyutka" and "Sturm" and up to 100 Israeli "Spike", 200 portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) (136 "Strela-2", 64 "Igla").
In addition, up to 158 T-72, up to 11 BPsV, up to 652 BVP-1 and BMP-1, up to 70 BMP-2, up to 100 OT-90, up to 52 Dana self-propelled guns (152 mm), up to 39 D-30 howitzers, up to 16 Strela-10 air defense systems.
The country's Air Force has one F-16V fighter in service. There is one combat training MiG-29UBS in storage.
There are seven L-410 transport aircraft (one or two more in storage), two European A319 and two Italian C-27J, four L-39CM training aircraft (two more in storage) and two L-39ZAM combat training aircraft (one more in storage).
There are 10 multi-purpose Mi-17 helicopters in service (two more in storage) and nine American UH-60M. All five Mi-24 combat helicopters (four D, one B), up to eight multi-purpose Mi-8 and up to four Mi-2 have been deposited.
Ground-based air defense includes one division of the S-300PS air defense system (possibly transferred to Ukraine), four batteries of the Kvadrat air defense system.
The potential of the Slovak army, of course, is negligible, but in any case it is not intended for war.
Alexander Khramchikhin
Alexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.