# The Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic ## approved by the National Council of the Slovak Republic 23 September 2005 ----- ### TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction I Slovak Republic in the Changing Security Environment II New Dimension of the Defence Policy III Defence Requirements of the Slovak Republic IV Development of the Armed Forces V Defence Support Conclusion 2 ----- **Introduction** 1. The Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic stems from the Security Strategy of the Slovak Republic and presents the political-military tenets of Slovak defence policy, formulated with a perspective of a ten-year period. It shall replace the Defence Strategy and the Military Strategy of the period of transition from individual to collective defence and focuses the attention of the Slovak Republic on fulfilling its commitments and effectively managing its capabilities and obligations as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (hereinafter only “NATO”) and the European Union (hereinafter only “EU”). 2. The Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic identifies defining tendencies developing in the security environment and characterizes the new dimension of its defence policy. It defines the basic goal, the requirements for effective defence, and capabilities requirements for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic as well as for other areas of the state defence system. **I. Slovak Republic in the Changing Security Environment** 3. The security interests of the Slovak Republic, defined in the Security Strategy of the Slovak Republic, derive from the needs of its citizens and of the state. They are based on the values of freedom, peace, rule of law, democracy, prosperity, and observation of basic human rights. These security interests of the Slovak Republic can be characterized as stable in the longterm although pursued in a dynamically changing security environment. 4. NATO and EU membership of the Slovak Republic has considerably changed its security position, and provides qualitatively new conditions for realization of its security interests. Slovakia has become an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic security community and thus it has gained treaty-bound security guarantees. At the same time, it has become a security guarantor to its allies. Defence and pursuit of security interests of the Slovak Republic within a wider geographical context are becoming the basic preconditions for its security and defence capability. 5. The threat of terrorist attacks, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, organized crime, the growing potential for the misuse of cybernetic space, radical ideologies, and unsolved disputes, combined with the effects of globalization, demographic development, migration, ecological changes, further state acquisition of nuclear weapons, and tensions over the struggle for vital resources cause increased instability and uncertainty, which are seconded by high levels of insecurity, unpredictability, and an increasing potential for the development of unexpected crisis situations. 6. As related to the defence of the Slovak Republic, the development of the wider security environment displays the following defining tendencies: 3 ----- - A growing effort of the international community to prevent and solve crisis situations on the basis of shared civilizational values, confronted by growing intolerance of state and non-state actors that precipitate uncertainty, instability, and violence; - Political, economic, and military integration within the Euro-Atlantic area, confronted by instability, imbalance, crisis situations and armed conflicts in its border regions and other regions of the world; - Military development aimed at achieving predominance in the IT sector among the developed states as a prerequisite for an effective use of armed forces against an enemy that strives to eliminate this advantage by using asymmetric tactics and means, including terrorist attacks and the threat of use and misuse of uncontrolled proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery; - Impossibility to dismiss completely the likelihood of an emergence of an extensive conventional armed conflict in the Euro-Atlantic area despite the sustained effort to lower the risks associated with this threat. 7. Based on the assessment of the projected development of the security environment and the characteristics of the above mentioned factors, it is possible to arrive at a political-military **conclusion that from the long term point of view, the Slovak Republic is not threatened by an** imminent extensive conventional military conflict. The gravity and extent of other military threats decreases as well. However, the probability and danger of non-military threats, especially threat of international terrorist attacks, increases. In the event of failing national and international control over the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist attacks would represent the greatest threat for the Slovak Republic and its allies. 8. The defence policy shall create preconditions for the formation of the defence potential of the state, which shall in turn: adequately react to the most probable situations endangering the security of the Slovak Republic and its allies; preliminarily influence development in the security environment; eliminate existing threats; and decrease the level of undertaken risks. **II. New Dimension of the Defence Policy** 9. The basic goal of the defence policy of the Slovak Republic is to provide security for its citizens and to guarantee defence of the state, with reliance on its own forces and the possibility of collective defence, active participation in promoting peace and stability in the world, prevention of conflicts and settling of crisis situations according to international law and confidence building measures. The purpose of this preventive policy is to avoid thwarting the security interests of the Slovak Republic, which include averting of an armed conflict from its territory. 10. In pursuit of the basic goal of its defence policy, the Slovak Republic shall apply these basic principles: the sovereign right to guarantee its own security; preference for peaceful conflict resolution; concord between state defence, law, and international obligations of the state; civil management and democratic control of the armed forces; prevention and deterrence as well as principles of complexity, effectiveness, involvement, adequacy, and transparency. 4 ----- 11. Considering that non-military factors pose a major threat to the lives, health, property of the citizens, economic development and prosperity of the state, the inter-dependence between Slovak defence and the developments in the security environment has become extraordinarily important. Changes in requirements for the complexity of state defence prompt defence system development that would enable effective response not only to the contemporary, but also to the future challenges and threats. At the same time, it shall contribute to the other NATO and EU member states defence and increase the efficiency of international crisis management. 12. The Slovak Republic shall realize its basic defence policy goal in accordance with its Euro-Atlantic orientation. The Slovak Republic considers NATO and EU membership as its crucial security and defence guarantees. It identifies with the basic goals and tasks ensuing from the NATO´s Strategic Concept and the European Security Strategy. 13. The Slovak Republic shall promote continuation of NATO as a reliable defence guarantor for its members and as an effective instrument for international crisis management based on political-military dialogue and coordination among its member states and with its partners. 14. The Slovak Republic shall actively participate in the development of the European Security and Defence Policy and EU capabilities, independently or in cooperation with NATO, the United Nations Organization (hereinafter only “UN”), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (hereinafter only “OSCE”) in order to prevent or solve crisis situations. It shall actively engage in EU-led crisis management and provide adequate military capabilities for EU-led multinational operations, while maintaining their compatibility with NATO tasks. 15. Should NATO or the EU not decide on their participation in international crisis management operations, the Slovak Republic shall be prepared, in accordance with its security interests and on the basis of an internationally accepted mandate, to participate in international coalitions created for this purpose primarily by NATO and EU member states. 16. When participating in the activities and operations conducted by international organizations and coalitions, the Slovak Republic shall present its ambition to participate adequately in the political and military decision-making, especially on the use of multinational forces and the procedures for post-conflict consolidation. 17. The Slovak Republic shall actively support those UN and OSCE measures which are aimed at arms control, prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and promoting peace, confidence-building and world security. **III. Defence Requirements of the Slovak Republic** 18. The mission of defence of the Slovak Republic, in accordance with the basic goal of the defence policy, is as follows: - To defend, in cooperation with its allies, the state sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, and to protect the security of the citizens and the state 5 ----- against external threats, primarily against the threat of international terrorism and the use of weapons of mass destruction; - To adequately fulfil its commitments as a NATO member; - To fulfil its commitments as an EU member within the framework of the European Security and Defense Policy; - To become involved – in accordance with the security interests of the Slovak Republic – in crisis prevention and conflict settlement in unstable regions of the world. 19. This mission of defence includes these qualitative changes: - In addition to relying on its own forces, the security of the citizens and of the state shall be guaranteed by the potential of NATO collective defence and the cooperation in the field of European Security and Defence Policy; - The Slovak Republic shall contribute to the security of its allies and to preventive measures against crisis and conflict development. 20. The change in the defence of the Slovak Republic influences the following: - The ability to defend the Slovak Republic and at the same time to contribute to NATO collective defence and EU military capabilities; - The defence system preparedness for participation in the activities of the international community focused on the fight against international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, conflict prevention, and crisis resolution in unstable regions of the world; - Deployment and sustainability of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic within a wide range of operations led by NATO and other international organizations or coalitions. 21. The Slovak Republic shall strengthen its defence system capabilities in order to contribute to the stability and security in the world. The system capabilities shall be assessed against its ability to face future challenges and threats. Accordingly, the Slovak Republic shall endeavour to do the following: - Until the end of 2010 – to adequately contribute to the defence capabilities of NATO collective defence and EU military capabilities; - Until 2015 – to increase the defence system ability to adequately contribute to conflict prevention and crisis situation management around the world within the framework of NATO and EU; - After 2015 – to attain the required usability level of the Armed Forces within a wide spectrum of operations led by NATO and other international organizations. 22. The defence system of the Slovak Republic shall be transformed in a manner that aims to considerably increase the effectiveness of its management and the use of the state defence potential, to shorten the time between the decision to respond to the threat is taken and the actual execution of the response measures, to perfect the legal framework for the public governance activities aimed at securing the guarantees for defence capabilities of the Slovak Republic. 6 ----- 23. The Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic shall intensify its efforts in asserting comprehensiveness and effectiveness of defence and in improving the defence management system as well as the continuity of strategic decision-making regarding the direction of the development and the use of the Armed Forces. Further reform process of the Armed Forces shall be supported by a transformation of other executive and auxiliary elements of the defence system. The goal shall be to increase: the usability and operational preparedness levels of the Armed Forces; effectiveness of strategic intelligence; the ability to use modern information and communication technologies; and the efficiency of acquisition and procurement procedures, planning processes, and mobilization performance. This goal shall be achieved by harmonization of the defence planning of the Slovak Republic with that of NATO. 24. The Slovak Republic shall, in contrast to the present situation, enable the Armed Forces to participate in operations led with more complexity in several dimensions. Those armed forces committed to an operation shall be able to adapt to the flexibly changing operation scenarios that require use of force of varying intensity. Use of modern communication and information systems, modern military armaments and technology shall improve the decision-making pertaining to the goals and the means of use of the Armed Forces in operations carried out in accordance with manoeuvrist approach, in high tempo and as well against an enemy using asymmetric strategy and tactics. 25. Further progress in the reform of the Armed Forces shall enable relevant constitutional bodies of the Slovak Republic to make decisions on their use (within the context of the real situation) as follows: - In full extent, for high intensity operations for defence of the Slovak Republic, including mobilization; - In great extent, ad hoc, for high intensity allied operations under NATO collective defence by providing one-time contribution of land forces and other necessary elements for combat support and combat service support up to the size of a brigade group; - In a large extent, ad hoc, for geographically unlimited NATO-led multinational joint operations by providing one-time contribution of land forces and other necessary elements for combat support and combat service support up to the size of a battalion group; - In a medium extent, for NATO or EU-led multinational peace-support operations by providing and sustaining a contribution of land forces or its cost equivalent up to the size of a mechanized battalion; - In small extent, for peace-support and humanitarian operations under the leadership of the UN, EU, or international coalitions by providing land forces or its cost equivalent of long-term sustainability up to the size of a company. 26. Taking into consideration the projected development of the security situation, the Armed Forces shall be most likely committed to peace-support and anti-terrorism operations, primarily focusing on crisis prevention and stabilization efforts. 7 ----- 27. Until the end of the year of 2010, **the political-military ambition of the Slovak** **Republic is to prepare its Armed Forces for participation at least in two simultaneous operations.** The priority shall be to attain readiness, firstly for NATO-led operations, and secondly for peacesupport operations led by international organizations. The pursuit of this ambition shall result in the readiness to provide small to medium capacity of the Armed Forces. Importantly, rapid response and force mobilization shall be preconditioned on the ability to secure strategic transport and further improvements in intelligence, information, and communication logistical support. In order to realize this most probable utilization of the Armed Forces, it shall be necessary to develop certain areas of their strategic and operational capabilities and to allocate resources primarily for increasing the deployment and sustainability capabilities in operations conducted outside the state territory. **IV. Development of the Armed Forces** 28. The former primary duty of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic to defend state territory shall be extended by an obligation, apart from the defence of the Slovak Republic, to contribute to the defence of its allies and to jointly prevent conflicts and settle crisis situations in the world. Such military-strategic capabilities of the Armed Forces shall be achieved by implementation of the reform goals and long-term development plans for the Armed Forces. Based on the decision of the state political leadership, the Armed Forces shall fulfil strategic tasks, tasks resulting from the adopted international commitments, and auxiliary tasks in support of civil authorities. 29. The strategic tasks of the Armed Forces are as follows: - To defend state sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of its borders against an armed aggression, and to contribute to the collective defence of NATO member states; - To protect air space inviolability and to fulfil tasks in the system of collective protection of NATO common air space; - To admit allied and coalition forces in its own territory, and to support overflights, transit in the assigned areas, and multinational operations and exercises conducted on the territory of the Slovak Republic; - To contribute to a wide spectrum of NATO or EU-led operations carried out without geographical limitations; - To carry out strategic intelligence and to identify threats and their agents in a timely and exact fashion; - To maintain stationary and mobile communication and information systems; - To provide geographical, topological, meteorological and other strategically important support services; - To defend and protect defence infrastructure, especially objects of extraordinary and acknowledged importance; - To plan and execute mobilization. 30. Armed Forces tasks emanating from accepted international commitments: 8 ----- - Participation in UN or OSCE-led peace-support operations; - Humanitarian support and assistance in crisis situations out of the state territory; - Development of international cooperation and support of the Slovak Republic’s efforts in the area of arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 31. Armed Forces auxiliary tasks for the support of civil authorities: - To monitor the nuclear, chemical and biological situation, to provide obtained information to the nation-wide warning system and to participate in these activities at a time of threat; - To be ready to provide the necessary forces and means for crisis prevention or elimination of its consequences, including maintaining of public order; - To participate in search and rescue operations in search for aircrew members and passengers in emergency situations. 32. In order to fulfil these tasks, the Armed Forces shall be ready to respond to threats flexibly and to rapidly commit its forces to multinational and joint expeditionary operations without geographical limitations. Depending on the goals and the course of operations, the Armed Forces shall possess a range of capabilities in order to attain superiority in decisionmaking and manoeuvrist approach to conduct of combat activities. The Armed Forces must acquire the following capabilities: a. Ability to commit to a wide spectrum of operations led in various geographical and climatic conditions; b. Quick deployment and mobility; c. Network Enabled Capability d. Effective intelligence, research, assessment and allocation of targets; e. Destructiveness and accuracy of military actions; f. Safety and resilience, including an effective engineer support, air defence, and protection of forces against nuclear, chemical and biological factors; g. Operational sustainability related to its intensity, extent, and pace; h. Adequate contributions to information operations; i. Preparedness to utilize possibilities of multinational logistics; j. Civil-military cooperation. 33. The Armed Forces shall achieve the required operational preparedness by becoming completely professionalized; by establishment of a trained and prepared command staff; by combat-oriented joint training of combat; combat support and combat service support units; by their purposeful organization; by implementing allied and national doctrines; and utilizing by modern technologies. 34. The Armed Forces shall be selectively staffed by candidates that display concerted interest in the professional military service and possess required mental and physical capacities and general and specialized education. The legal framework for the performance of the state service of professional soldiers shall be stabilized. At the same time, the structure and profile of the Armed Forces civilian employees shall reflect the new demands and requirements. 9 ----- 35. The education and training of the commissioned, warrant and non-commissioned officers in the command and management functions shall comply with NATO standards, especially in the area of leadership and professional skills development. 36. In order to become well trained, the Armed Forces shall engage in NATO-compliant intensive training, conduct joint exercises of combat and support units, increase the level of command-staff exercises, participate and utilize the experience from international exercises, use simulation technologies, and modernize the training base. 37. The required combat capabilities, combat support and combat service support capabilities shall be structurally implemented according to NATO standards. If necessary, this shall enable creation of specialized joint groups, which shall be deployable in multinational operations out of state territory. Dislocation in peacetime shall enable the Armed Forces to effectively utilize the training areas and the stationary property entrusted to them by the state. 38. The Command and Control system shall greatly advance this goal; it shall ensure that the Armed Forces are at the required readiness level in terms of operational preparedness, for expansion of forces, deployment and maintenance in multinational operations, and future capabilities planning. Commanders and the staff shall acquire the ability to: obtain and analyze the information in real time; conduct operations according to new operational concepts and decide quickly on how to use the Armed Forces - their composition and structure - depending on the operational aims. Utilization of modern communication systems and information technologies for intelligence, observation and reconnaissance shall enable a timely response to unexpected events at all operating levels. 39. Land Forces shall utilize manoeuvrist approach to conduct of combat activities and use their capabilities and force in reference to operational aims, or the individual operation phases. Logistical support, if necessary assisted by the strategic support capacities, shall ensure the required mobility and sustainability levels in Land Force operations. The Land Forces shall have adequate intelligence, fire support units, engineer units, nuclear, chemical and biological protection units, and medical services at their disposal. 40. Development of the Air Force shall ensure adequate participation in defence of the NATO integrated air space, serving as an incentive for gradual renewal and growth of the Air Force combat potential. The Air Force shall, in the long term, modernize its aviation assets, ground based air defence systems, and surveillance means. This will allow admittance into NATO anti-ballistic defence, an ability to provide fire support to the Land Forces, and the growth of Air Force transport capacities necessary for Land Force support in operations outside the state territory. 41. The Training and Support Forces shall principally improve their operational forcesupport preparedness in operations outside the state territory. Mobility of the forces committed to the expeditionary operations, the pace of operations, and the required force sustainability shall be ensured by the balance between the total volume of supplies in the operational area and the 10 ----- ability to plan and deploy service and supply flows. In addition to the military capacities, they shall utilize contracting possibilities with civil suppliers that are able to supply the units and provide other services where necessary. Improvements in the reliability, maintenance quality of the armament and equipment support for the Armed Forces, and the effectiveness of the entrusted property use shall increase the overall level of logistical support. 42. Planning and conduct of joint multinational operations shall be supported by the implementation of NATO operating standards, development of new doctrines, and updating the regulation system, combat orders, and training documentation. 43. Provision of the Armed Forces with armament, material, and equipment shall chiefly respond to the progressive tendencies in command support, the use of precise weapons, the development of mechanized forces, the fighter and transport aviation, the air defence unit, the logistical support, the medical services and police protection by the military police. 44. The Armed Forces peacetime mission shall be to maintain an adequate level of operational preparedness. In accordance with NATO rules, the Armed Forces shall be staffed with trained and equipped personnel that are classified into three operational readiness categories, as follows: - **Forces of high readiness– deployable in a short time and to a wide spectrum of** operations; they also include rapid reaction forces; - **Forces of lower readiness – deployable in a relatively short time, where some** part of these forces will be able to fulfil its mission only upon receiving reinforcements; - **Forces of long-term deployment – capable of adequately supporting the forces** deployed in the operations upon being reinforced by reserve soldiers. 45. Effective use of financial resources for defence purposes remains an important goal in terms of developing the defence planning system. A minimum of 2% of GDP shall be considered an adequate budget allocation for the needs of the Ministry of Defence. In order to prevent expenses at the cost of maintenance and development of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, the operational expenses and the expenses of contributions to NATO and EU rapid reaction forces shall be financed in accordance with the decisions of the Government of the Slovak Republic and the National Council of the Slovak Republic. **V. Defence Support** 46. Defence Support shall be considered an important part of an effective functioning state defence system. Its mission shall be to ensure planning, preparation and adequate use of forces and means to enable the Armed Forces to defend the Slovak Republic and fulfil its other tasks and obligations. 47. Defence Support consists of the following elements: strategic intelligence and defence diplomacy; international political-military cooperation; economic mobilization; state reserves; 11 ----- defence infrastructure; civil emergency planning; armed security corps; security corps; civil protection; rescue corps; rescue services; defence preparation for citizens; and the scientific base of state defence. 48. In order to achieve strategic intelligence effectiveness, a functioning early warning system shall be established and aimed at identifying emerging threats to enable timely adoption of effective counter-measures. The quality of intelligence information shall be ensured by an integrated activity of all state intelligence services. Defence diplomacy shall aim at enforcing the goals of the state defence policy. 49. International political-military cooperation of the Slovak Republic shall focus on the basic aims of the defence policy. The importance of trustworthy, transparent relations with NATO and EU member countries, as well as mutually advantageous cooperation with neighbouring states, shall be emphasized. Political-military cooperation with other states shall be developed on the principle of shared security interests. 50. The Slovak Republic shall ensure sufficient material resources and means for its defence. Economic mobilisation is considered to be an important part of defence planning. Material resources for defence shall be primarily provided by the domestic industrial and economic base. At the same time, the Slovak Republic shall preferentially cooperate with defence industries of NATO and EU countries. 51. The Slovak Republic shall build and maintain an adequate defence infrastructure. Its defence system shall provide protection of the Slovak Republic and function in crisis situations. It shall comply with the requirements resulting from NATO and EU membership, which includes admitting and generally safeguarding allied armed forces on the territory of the Slovak Republic and implementing security investments. An effective combination of the state and private sector shall ensure further development of defence infrastructure. 52. In accordance with NATO standards, civil emergency planning shall support the Armed Forces in: defence of the state and the civil authorities; in crisis situations; protection of the population against the effects of weapons of mass destruction; and provision of medical service capacities for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. Furthermore, it shall support allied military operations on state territory. 53. The Police Corps, the Corps of Prison and Judicial Guards and the Railway Police shall fulfil the tasks of defence support. The Fire and Rescue Corps, and rescue and civilian protection services shall participate in defence within the framework of the Integrated Rescue System. The Police Corps, civilian protection and the Fire and Rescue Corps shall also contribute to the efforts to strengthen EU civilian crisis management. 54. Within the framework of the educational system, the citizens shall be instructed on how to cope with the consequences of crisis situations. In order to gain their support for the involvement of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic in international crisis management, public awareness of the defence policy of the Slovak Republic shall be improved. 12 ----- 55. The scientific-research base shall be supported by an adequate engagement in the development of the Armed Forces capabilities. **Conclusion** 56. The Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic directly results in implementation documents and plans. Results achieved in the implementation of the Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic shall be assessed within the framework of a regular security assessment of the Slovak Republic and a strategic defence review of the state according to NATO standards, or as a consequence of major changes in the security environment. 57. The Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic replaces the Defence Strategy of the Slovak Republic and the Military Strategy of the Slovak Republic, both approved by the National Council of the Slovak Republic in the year 2001. 13 -----