Slovakia prepares its MiG-29 warplanes ahead of transfer to Ukraine

Europe, News, US December 15, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Slovakia is preparing a major reinforcement for Ukraine’s air combat capabilities by transferring its Soviet-made Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force in coordination with the United States.

According to the country’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Rastislav Kacer, Slovakia is preparing to send its MiG-29 warplanes to Ukraine. “We have not yet handed [Ukraine] the MiG-29s. But we are ready to do it. We are talking with our NATO partners about how to do it,” Kacer told Interfax-Ukraine in an interview.

“We had a very meaningful conversation with [Ukraine’s] president. My defense minister explained to [the Ukrainian] president how we can do this. And I think that, in the coming weeks, a Ukrainian delegation will come to Slovakia, and we will work together with our American friends to make this reality,… I am very optimistic about this, I think it will happen soon and the planes will be in Ukraine.” Kacer added.

The Slovakian military has a fleet of 24 single-seater and twin-seater MiG-29 jets that it acquired after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. According to recent data from the Slovakian Ministry of Defense, only 11 of those 24 jets are operational.

“The MiG-29s were upgraded in the years 2004-2006, including with NATO-compatible communication and navigation systems,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement. “Slovakia’s 11 remaining MiG-29s will reach the projected end of service life between 2029-2035,” the statement added.

Kacer’s statement indicates that the Slovakian administration is in talks with the U.S. in order to reach a deal where Slovakia would receive a replacement for its MiG-29 jets after transferring to Ukraine.

*^{Meeting of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with the Slovak delegation, Kyiv, December 8, 2022. (Image Credit: Office of the Ukrainian President)}*

Earlier this year, Poland also announced a similar transfer option for its MiG-29s to Ukraine. However, the initiative was derailed after Polish and U.S. officials engaged in a public discussion over Washington’s potential role in the procurement.

Poland proposed the U.S. to handle the complicated logistics of the planes which took U.S. officials by surprise as the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that “to my knowledge, it was not pre-consulted with us that they planned to give these planes to the U.S.” Slovakia intends to avoid a similar situation and plans lay a solid grounds with the U.S. before it announces further details about the delivery.

The Slovak Air Force is also awaiting the delivery of 14 F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2024. In the meantime, the Czech and Polish air forces are policing Slovak skies until at least December 31, 2022.