Slovenia’s government announced its intention to make major acquisitions for its ground forces as part of its ongoing programs under Prime Minister Robert Golob directed toward enhancing the county’s defense capabilities.
In a series of statements in early July government officials made public major decisions regarding plans to modernize its artillery, air defenses and armoured combat vehicle fleets. At the NATO Summit on 10 July 2024 in Washington DC, the Prime Minister announced the government’s intent to purchase Patria AMV XP 8 X 8 wheeled combat vehicles. In addition, on 12 July 2024 the Ministry of Defence also indicated it had executed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the French defense ministry. The LOI confirmed its selection of the Nexter/KNDS CAESAR 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer and the Mistral Man Portable Air Defense Missile System from MBDA.
The Patria AMV XP acquisition contract is anticipated to be finalized by the end of 2024. Although the details are not public the local Slovenian broadcaster 24UR reported the goal is to field 106 vehicles at a cost of €695 million (US$757 million). The AMV XP is the latest version in the Patria AMV family with significant improvements in mobility, protection and overall combat capability. Negotiations on the purchase have been underway for over two years following the withdrawal from an agreement to acquire forty-five Boxer vehicles through OCCAR (Organization for Cooperation in Common Armaments). The ministry had also entertained offers of the Polish Rosomak-L, Romanian Piranha 5, and Italian Frecia. The AMV XPs would join the earlier version AMVs previously acquired by the Slovenian Army in 2007. The AMV- XPs are essential to the formation of a medium battle group for NATO to which the country had committed.
This acquisition of the CAESAR howitzers is the latest in a number of orders including a French Army February contact for 109 NG (Next Generation) systems, and fielding by Lithuania, Estonia, and Armenia. The CAESAR 155/52 calibre howitzer is a truck mounted with a high level of automation. This allows it to transition from moving to firing to being on the move in under two minutes. Such “shoot-and-scoot” tactics enable the CAESAR to avoid enemy counter-battery fires. It has proven capabilities in combat operations including successful use in the Ukraine. The latest NG version includes a more powerful 460 hp engine, a new velocity radar, fire control software, and Safran Geonyn inertial navigation, as well as new armoured cab.
The Mistral very-short range missile is a fire-and-forget passive infrared homing missile for use against aerial targets. It is a two-man portable system using a ground pedestal firing post. The operator is seated using a telescope or thermal sight to acquire and track a target. It has IFF (identification, friend or foe) and is launched once the missile seeker locks-on to the target’s signature. Mistral 3, the latest version possesses advance image processing and the ability to intercept a moving target at ranges beyond seven kilometers with a maximum speed of Mach 2.6.
The numbers of howitzers and Mistral systems has not been announced. Both, however, combined with the Patria AMV vehicles will provide significant enhancement to the country’s defense and its contribution to NATO.
by Stephen W. Miller
