Full operational capability of NFIU SVK reconfirmed by NFIU SVK Certification 2020

Three years on since declaring its full operational capability (FOC), on 26-30 Oct 2020 the NATO Force Integration Unit Slovakia (NFIU SVK) underwent re-certification to conduct NATO taskings. The NFIU SVK, based at Vajnory Barracks, passed the comprehensive assessment process with NATO observers on the ground and with excellent results. It culminated today with the certification ceremony where Deputy Chief of Defence Lt Gen Josef Pokorný handed the Certificate of Full Operational Capability over to Commander NFIU SVK Colonel Peter Brauner, in the presence of Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď and invited guests.

The preparations for the NFIU SVK Certification 2020 began as early as the autumn of 2019. The certification process consisted of three phases. The administrative “In-barracks Evaluation” saw the evaluation of the NFIU’s procedures according to NATO criteria. This was followed by the “Field Evaluation” with a practical evaluation exercise (EVALEX) to verify the NFIU’s operational readiness to execute tasks in line with NATO procedures for specific situations and scenarios. Interestingly, under this phase, the NFIU SVK provided the reception, staging, onward movement and integration (RSOI) of 33 Austrian military medics to support Op Shared Responsibility as the COVID-19 mass testing programme was rolled out across Slovakia.

On the NFIU SVK and Certification 2020, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “NATO membership is, unambiguously and irrefutably, one of the pillars of Slovakia’s security. The NFIU SVK undertakes coordination and supporting tasks in order to benefit our Armed Forces and deployable NATO forces in the event of Slovakia’s request for deployment of NATO’s High Readiness Forces to our country. This is a significant contribution to the security of our country and of the Alliance as a whole. I congratulate all those involved on the exceptionally successful reconfirmation of the NFIU’s full operational capability.”

After the “Evaluation’s Formal Reporting and Back-Brief”, Commander NFIU SVK Colonel Peter Brauner was appreciative of the NFIU members’ active and professional approach to preparing and executing tasks in the unit certification process. “I am immensely pleased that our efforts are crowned with success, as the Evaluation Report concludes that the NFIU Slovakia has received excellent ratings in all areas of evaluation, as announced by Chief of Defence Gen Daniel Zmeko on 3 November 2020,” emphasised Col Brauner.

The NATO Force Integration Unit Slovakia, based at Vajonory Barracks, reached its full operational capability for the first time in May 2017. Its compliance with NATO standards is maintained through the three-year certification cycle.

Commander NFIU SVK Colonel Peter Brauner is in command of 39 military personnel from eight countries, including Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.