Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, following his visit to the United States, announced his intention to purchase four more American F-16V Block 70/72 Viper fighter jets. This step is aimed at closing gaps in the national defense system that arose after the transfer of the entire fleet of old MiG-29s to the Ukrainian Air Force. This was reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
Details
According to Defence Industry Europe, the Slovak side has sent a request for the supply of four to eight aircraft, hoping to receive them as soon as possible. Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliňák previously stated that the US State Department had already approved the sale, but the lack of public reporting on DSCA resources is causing discussions among experts. Some analysts see Bratislava's desire as an attempt to persuade the White House to closer cooperation with the current government amid the changing security situation in Central Europe.
Questionable delivery times and experience of previous contracts
Defense Express experts express skepticism about the possibility of receiving the aircraft as early as 2026, given the significant delays under the first contract in 2018.
At that time, Slovakia waited for the start of deliveries of 14 fighters for more than five years instead of the promised four, and Lockheed Martin's production lines remain overloaded with orders for other countries, particularly Taiwan. It is likely that statements about the rapid acquisition of aircraft may refer to the transfer of the final batch of machines under the old order, and not completely new aircraft units.