EX SLOVAK SHIELD 2025: Slovakia's largest international exercise to test its readiness to defend the nation's sovereignty
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- Date: 27.05.2025
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Ex Slovak Shield 2025 (SLSD25) – the largest international military exercise of the year testing the capabilities and readiness of the Slovak Armed Forces and NATO forces to defend Slovakia's territorial integrity – culminated at the Training Centre Lešť on 26 May 2025. The high visibility event promoting regional defence engagement was attended by Slovakia's top constitutional and defence officials – President of the Slovak Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Slovak Armed Forces Peter Pellegrini, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Robert Kaliňák, Chief of Defence General Daniel Zmeko, and other distinguished guests.
Commenting on the great deal of meticulous planning, preparations and logistics that went into the exercise, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák said: “This exercise is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies behind the success of this event are the long-term preparations and coordination activities of all partners involved. The exercise has shown just how important it is for individual Commands and Nations to communicate together in order to have the ability to conduct a joint operation. When it comes to the SVK Defence Training Estate, the Training Centre Lešť has proven to be among the major armed forces training areas in NATO.”
SLSD25 combines a two-level Battle Staff Training Exercise (BSTX) and a Field Training Exercise (FLX), aimed at operating together to improve the planning and conduct of defensive operations across Slovak territory. Phase 1 focused on the protection and surveillance of national borders, Phase 2 simulated interdiction operations in the security area – using combat manoeuvre units to block the enemy's advance, putting defences in place, and assuring defence against surveillance and strike drones.
Speaking from the Training Centre Lešť, President and Commander-in-Chief Peter Pellegrini said: “The exercise has seen real progress made in modernising our Armed Forces. It is essential that they are prepared for the new challenges of the future.” He went on to add: “Looking to the future, I am convinced that they must be equipped with the most advanced systems available, so that they are capable, at any time, of defending Slovakia’s territorial integrity, protecting the lives of our people, and providing assistance whenever required, even in the event of a major disaster or accident.”
1,179 soldiers from seven NATO Member and Partner nations took part in the exercise: Czechia, Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and the United States. Units taking part included the NATO Multinational Brigade Slovakia (NATO MNB SVK) and the Indiana National Guard (INNG). There were 292 pieces of combat vehicles and equipment and six aircraft on the exercise, including F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. At the SLSD25 Distinguished Visitors Day, the live action demonstrations featured live firing from various weapon systems such as Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missile systems (ATGMs), through to Pandur armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and the Polish Army's K2 Black Panther main battle tanks (MBTs).
Speaking of the SVK Defence Industry innovations and new technologies including autonomous AI-guided surveillance and strike drones on SLSD25, Chief of Defence General Daniel Zmeko said: “We incorporated some new elements into the exercise for the first time in history. We managed to conduct not only a regular tactical exercise, but also experimental trials. For the first time in history, some SVK Defence Industry components were successfully integrated with products that are still in the prototype development stage.”
Commenting on the great deal of meticulous planning, preparations and logistics that went into the exercise, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák said: “This exercise is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies behind the success of this event are the long-term preparations and coordination activities of all partners involved. The exercise has shown just how important it is for individual Commands and Nations to communicate together in order to have the ability to conduct a joint operation. When it comes to the SVK Defence Training Estate, the Training Centre Lešť has proven to be among the major armed forces training areas in NATO.”
SLSD25 combines a two-level Battle Staff Training Exercise (BSTX) and a Field Training Exercise (FLX), aimed at operating together to improve the planning and conduct of defensive operations across Slovak territory. Phase 1 focused on the protection and surveillance of national borders, Phase 2 simulated interdiction operations in the security area – using combat manoeuvre units to block the enemy's advance, putting defences in place, and assuring defence against surveillance and strike drones.
Speaking from the Training Centre Lešť, President and Commander-in-Chief Peter Pellegrini said: “The exercise has seen real progress made in modernising our Armed Forces. It is essential that they are prepared for the new challenges of the future.” He went on to add: “Looking to the future, I am convinced that they must be equipped with the most advanced systems available, so that they are capable, at any time, of defending Slovakia’s territorial integrity, protecting the lives of our people, and providing assistance whenever required, even in the event of a major disaster or accident.”
1,179 soldiers from seven NATO Member and Partner nations took part in the exercise: Czechia, Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and the United States. Units taking part included the NATO Multinational Brigade Slovakia (NATO MNB SVK) and the Indiana National Guard (INNG). There were 292 pieces of combat vehicles and equipment and six aircraft on the exercise, including F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. At the SLSD25 Distinguished Visitors Day, the live action demonstrations featured live firing from various weapon systems such as Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missile systems (ATGMs), through to Pandur armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and the Polish Army's K2 Black Panther main battle tanks (MBTs).
Speaking of the SVK Defence Industry innovations and new technologies including autonomous AI-guided surveillance and strike drones on SLSD25, Chief of Defence General Daniel Zmeko said: “We incorporated some new elements into the exercise for the first time in history. We managed to conduct not only a regular tactical exercise, but also experimental trials. For the first time in history, some SVK Defence Industry components were successfully integrated with products that are still in the prototype development stage.”
