Withdrawal of SAMP/T Mamba

The Defence Ministry will decide on the procurement of a new air-defence system in the following days, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) claimed after a session of the government on Thursday. Kalinak confirmed that Italian system SAMP/T Mamba will be withdrawn from Slovakia. The country continues to be protected by the so-called air policing carried out by the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. Kalinak conceded to reporters that Slovakia is likely to procure the Israeli air defence system Barak. He confirmed that the procurement of the US air defence system Patriot is "off the table", due to extremely long delivery waiting times and the inability to switch the discount granted by the US Government on Viper helicopters to Patriots instead.

TASR