P. Gajdoš: I will allow no other solution to the future of supersonic aviation but a pro-European and pro-Atlantic one
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- Date: 20.09.2017
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The Slovak Ministry of Defence will not allow any other solution to our future supersonic aircraft fleet but a pro-European and pro-Atlantic one. In no way does the MOD envisage purchasing new MiG fighters and rejects the media campaign that a new coalition crisis is emerging. This message was today communicated by SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš during a press conference at the MOD. “If the government decides to do so and the Ministry of Finance allocates the resources required and indispensable for all the projects immediately, we are ready, once the ongoing negotiations on the price and support services have been concluded, to submit the contractual documents to the government in accordance with its decision. And thus resolve the future of our supersonic aviation for the next period. And I can assure you that we will allow no other solution but a pro-European and pro-Atlantic one,” emphasised the Minister, adding that, according to him, the rearmament of the SVK Air Force is inevitable.
“However, at the same time we must complete funding for the already contracted Spartan aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters. Yet we remain committed to taking supersonic aviation forward. But it is all about the resources – the money that the Ministry of Finance and the Government must approve for individual projects,” explained the Minister, arguing that whereas air assets are already being replaced in the SVK Air Force, the SVK Land Forces have not been up for modernisation for decades. “And even there we need to phase out the Russian hardware and put new equipment into service, whilst substantially involving in its manufacture the domestic arms industry in cooperation with European partners,” he added.
On the supersonic aircraft fleet, he further explained that the MOD has been in negotiations with the U.S. Government and some other European governments, including the Swedish Government. “For the time being we do not have the contractual documents that we are bound to submit to the Government in line with its decision, because we need to negotiate every single detail, every single condition of supportservices, logistics, and infrastructure support,” said the Minister. He further clarified that when he had taken over as Head of the MOD in 2016, the negotiations with the Swedish side had to be started from scratch, as it turned out that the Swedish side was no longer interested in awarding us a lease package for the Gripen flight hours, as had previously been the case of the Czech Republic. “Put simply, this is not how their offer was made,” he said and went on to emphasise that the life extension programme for the MiG aircraft is only a plan B and that the purchase of the supersonic aircraft still holds. Among the only limiting factors are the financial possibilities of the Slovak Republic and a fair and comprehensive package from potential suppliers.
Head of the MOD today explained that, for him, the issue of Slovak airspace protection is decisive and will be delivered, just as so far, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “We are equally obliged to guarantee the defence capability of the Slovak Republic, and we do so via the SVK Land Forces, which form the core of our Armed Forces,” he noted.
Under the Long-Term Defence Development Plan, the modernisation of the SVK Land Forces until 2030 will require over 3 billion euros in funding and the completion of the SVK Air Force's modernisation a further 2.6 billion euros.
“However, at the same time we must complete funding for the already contracted Spartan aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters. Yet we remain committed to taking supersonic aviation forward. But it is all about the resources – the money that the Ministry of Finance and the Government must approve for individual projects,” explained the Minister, arguing that whereas air assets are already being replaced in the SVK Air Force, the SVK Land Forces have not been up for modernisation for decades. “And even there we need to phase out the Russian hardware and put new equipment into service, whilst substantially involving in its manufacture the domestic arms industry in cooperation with European partners,” he added.
On the supersonic aircraft fleet, he further explained that the MOD has been in negotiations with the U.S. Government and some other European governments, including the Swedish Government. “For the time being we do not have the contractual documents that we are bound to submit to the Government in line with its decision, because we need to negotiate every single detail, every single condition of supportservices, logistics, and infrastructure support,” said the Minister. He further clarified that when he had taken over as Head of the MOD in 2016, the negotiations with the Swedish side had to be started from scratch, as it turned out that the Swedish side was no longer interested in awarding us a lease package for the Gripen flight hours, as had previously been the case of the Czech Republic. “Put simply, this is not how their offer was made,” he said and went on to emphasise that the life extension programme for the MiG aircraft is only a plan B and that the purchase of the supersonic aircraft still holds. Among the only limiting factors are the financial possibilities of the Slovak Republic and a fair and comprehensive package from potential suppliers.
Head of the MOD today explained that, for him, the issue of Slovak airspace protection is decisive and will be delivered, just as so far, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “We are equally obliged to guarantee the defence capability of the Slovak Republic, and we do so via the SVK Land Forces, which form the core of our Armed Forces,” he noted.
Under the Long-Term Defence Development Plan, the modernisation of the SVK Land Forces until 2030 will require over 3 billion euros in funding and the completion of the SVK Air Force's modernisation a further 2.6 billion euros.
