The “White Paper on the Defence of the Slovak Republic” envisages maintaining the capabilities of the tanks and, by the end of 2020, preparing a plan for the development of tank units. To achieve these capabilities, according to the “Long-term Outlook for Defence”, one of the priorities is the implementation of projects to increase the quality parameters of the main combat technology of ground forces in order to ensure critically insufficient capabilities of the mechanized brigade. For example, the Long-term Defence Development Plan with an emphasis on the construction and development of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic with an outlook up to 2030 (hereinafter “Long-term Outlook for Defence”) considers the modernization of armaments, technology, materials and communication and information systems, or the overall replacement of obsolete technology, for which further improvement is no longer effective, as a basis for building and developing capabilities which guarantee state defence. The modernization of tanks is also stipulated in the strategic documents of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic. According to the plans of the then management, the acquisition process was to begin during 20. The then Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš stated that in the future Slovakia would also buy new tanks, which would become part of a heavy mechanized brigade. The previous management of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic planned to gradually modernize the tanks that serve in this unit. The tank battalion is a subordinate battalion of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade Prešov.

These tanks are used in the tank battalion placed in Trebišov. This question is also relevant from the point of view of Slovakia, which will soon have to start thinking about how to bring ground forces closer to the modern standard of the 21st century.Īt present, the Slovak ground forces have 22 T-72M1 tanks. The question arises, regardless of whether the T-72 tanks are of good or poor quality, whether they are not actually past their prime and perhaps should not be replaced by more modern ones. Especially in Central Europe we can see that T-72 tanks are still used in various modifications and modernized versions. In the category of ground combat vehicles, it is truly a unique means, which for many years has played an extremely important role in various, especially close forms of combat. The tank is still considered an important part of the ground forces, the role of which is difficult to replace in some situations.

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