MiG-29 from Slovakia – coming soon
Talks about the possible transfer of MiG-29 fighters from Slovakia to Ukraine have been going on since mid-summer 2022, but it seems that it will finally become a reality soon. This is reported by European Truth referring to the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, Rastislav Káčer, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine”.
“Our defense minister explained to your president how this can be done. And, I think, in the coming weeks, a Ukrainian delegation will arrive in Slovakia, and we, together with our American friends, will work to make this a reality… I am very optimistic about this, I think it will happen soon and the planes will be in Ukraine,” he said.
And he added that he did not want to comment on the details of the transfer of fighters, so as not to harm the process.
Officially, all 11 MiG-29 fighters of the Slovak Air Force retired on August 27, 2022, and the country, which is waiting for the delivery of 14 F-16V Block 70/72 only in 2024, currently has no attack aircraft at all – the skies of Slovakia are covered by fighters of Poland and the Czech Republic.
All 11 MiG-29s (9 MiG-29AS and 2 training dual-control MiG-29UBS) that Ukraine can count on are the Slovak modernization of the MiG-29A and MiG-29UB, which was carried out in 2005–2008. In the process of modification, the aircraft received navigation and a communication system from Rockwell Collins, a “friend or foe” system from BAE Systems, a new digital cockpit and other equipment. That is, these updated MiG-29s are compatible with control systems and, most importantly, with NATO weapons.
We will remind you that this is not the first time that small Slovakia helps Ukraine. Thus, Slovakia provided the Armed Forces with 8 155-mm self-propelled guns ZUZANA 2 (half of all they had), all their S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems and five helicopters.
Thank you, Slovakia!