Kaliňák is buying helicopters at a time of consolidation. Odor's government wanted to buy Vipers, Smer was against

The announced major modernisation of the Slovak army continues even in times of consolidation. The Ministry of Defence has two bids on the table for the purchase of helicopters. It wants to decide on them by the end of the year. The purchases are worth tens of millions of euros.

12 helicopters are to be added to the army's fleet. The first option is the Viper attack helicopters, which, together with ammunition, are expected to cost 550 million euros. The second offer is for multi-purpose Blackhawks, which would cost almost four times less, but we would get them without ammunition.

The difference seems big

"The difference seems clearly large. But crucially, the offers are not entirely comparable. Because in combat helicopters you have some capabilities already built in, whereas somewhere you don't. So these offers will still move towards each other," said Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák.

The US-made Viper attack helicopters and 500 missiles for them were still to be bought by Ľudovít Ódor's government. Smer, then an opposition party, criticised this plan.

Other multifunctional helicopters

"I assume that Vipers will probably not be the preferred choice, and that we will therefore probably go the way of Blackhawks," says Juraj Krúpa, a member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic.

"In my opinion, this is purposeful. This offer for Blackhawks was made by the ministry," says retired general Pavel Macko.

The fact is that the Slovak army already has Blackhawk helicopters. If it buys machines from the current offer from the same manufacturer, it will get additional multifunctional helicopters, which can be used, for example, in firefighting.

Better armed and more resilient

"Today we have three, four, five Blackhawks, which out of a total of nine is standard because the technology is complicated. But it's not enough," the defence minister stated.

"Vipers, unlike Blackhawks, have completely different control and firing systems. They are better armed, more durable and have artificial intelligence features, which the Blackhawks don't have even when they are armed," the retired general added.

Neither the Viper helicopters nor the Blackhawks that Slovakia may buy will be new. In both cases, there are offers for sale on machines already in use.

The helicopters are being upgraded

"Both helicopters are modernised. The Vipers are younger, about 10 years old, while the Blackhawks are about 15-20 years old," Kaliňák says.

"Those Blackhawks are used, old refurbished helicopters, so they will probably have a short service life as well," Macko says.

"These Blackhawks are supposed to be combined. Two are already on order expressly for special forces. These are to be the next ones in support of the special forces," added Juraj Krúpa, a member of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic.

The defence ministry says it is evaluating both offers these days. It wants to make a final decision by the end of the year.