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Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Slovenian military-patriot (talk | contribs) at 18:15, 8 November 2009 (→‎Acquisition of new Aircraft). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Slovenian Air Force" redirects here. For other uses, see Slovenian Air Force (disambiguation).
Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence
Brigada zračne obrambe in letalstva Slovenske vojske
File:Logo of the Slovenian Airofrce avitation brigade.jpg
the identification flag
Founded1991
CountrySlovenia
AllegianceNATO
BranchAir Force and Air Defense
RoleDefending the sovereignty of the Slovenian air space
Size???? personnel
22 aircraft
18 helicopters
Part ofSlovenian Army
Command HQCerklje ob Krki,Brežice
AnniversariesDecember 14th
December 15th
EngagementsSlovenian War of Independence
Commanders
Current
commander		Lieutenant Igor Strojin
Insignia
Roundel
FinFile:Fin of the Slovenian Air Force.svg
Aircraft flown
AttackPilatus PC-9M Hudournik
TrainerZlin Z-143, Zlin Z 242
TransportPilatus PC-6 Porter
Let L-410 Turbolet, C-17 GM III (part of NATO SAC)

Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence is a part of the Slovenian Armed Forces. It is an integral part of the command structure, not an independent branch.

Duties

Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence aim is securing sovereignty of the air space of the Republic of Slovenia (with the help of Italian Air Force) and providing air support to other services in implementation of their tasks in joint operations. It's main tasks are:

  • Inspection and control of the air space security
  • Providing help in natural, humanitarian and technological disasters
  • Search and rescue operations

History of Slovenian air force

File:Italian Airforce F-16 patrools Slovenian Airspace.jpg
Italian Eurofighter Typhoon patrols Slovenian airspace during the visit of U.S President George W. Bush.

Slovenian contact with military aviation began during World War I, when the army and navy air services of Austria-Hungary conscripted large numbers of personnel from throughout the Empire. As the Empire began to collapse during 1918, Slovenian aircrew and ground crew switched their allegiance to the newly independent Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Aircraft found on Slovenian territory where taken over by the Slovenian authorities and formed into a fledgling air arm. The new air arm was soon involved in the conflict with Austria over the border provinces of Carinthia and south Styria. Later in 1919, the Slovenian air units were absorbed into the national Yugoslavia air force. In 1968 a reserve volunteer force, the Teritorialna Obramba (Territorial Defence of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia), was established to defend local key locations in time of crisis. The Slovenian Territorial Defence HQ had a small auxiliary aviation unit stationed at Ljubljana-Polje airfield by 1969, when Government Factories Type 522 advanced trainers were being operated. These aircraft were borrowed from the Yugoslav Air Force and not owned by Slovenia. Slovenian Territorial Defence ceased to be a part of the Yugoslavian auxiliary forces on 21 June 1991, (four days prior of the proclamation of independence), when the Yugoslav army seized 12 Soko J-20 Kraguj aircraft from them. On 28 June 1991 a Yugoslav Air Force Gazelle defected to Slovenia, providing the first helicopter for the Territorial Defence Force. During the war it also was equipped with three ex-Police Bell 412s and a Agusta A-109. On 9 June 1992 the Air Force Unit of the Slovenian Army was renamed into 15 Brigada Vojaskega Letalstva. The 15 Brigada was divided into two squadrons, one fixed-wing and one helicopter squadron, flying from two bases, Brnik airport and Cerklje ob Krki. The 15 Brigada was under control of the 1 Air Force and Air Defence Force Command located at Kranj. On 2004 Slovenia entered NATO. Now is NATO responsible for protecting the Slovenian airspace. On 8 November 2004 the 15 Brigada was officially disbanded. In its place three new units were formed. The 15 Air Force Brigade was restructured into the 15 Helicopter Battalion, the Air Force School, and the Air Force Base. The 15 Helicopter Battalion is located at the Brnik air base. The unit is equipped with eight Bell 412 helicopters and four AS-532 Cougar helicopters. The unit's main duties are to organise training courses for pilots and technical staff, to organise search and rescue missions and operate within the System of Civil Protection, Help and Rescue, to secure cargo transportation to mountain areas, to extinguish fires, and to provide air support for SAF units. The Air Force Military School is located at the Cerklje ob Krki air base. The school conducts the basic and advance training programmes for future air force pilots in two Zlin 143L and eight Zlin 242L planes and four Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters, organises practices for air force pilots, provides fire support, and carries out various tasks for other branches of the armed forces by using the two PC-9 and nine PC-9M planes. A part of the Air Force Military School is also the parachute squad, located at the Brnik air base, which organises basic and advanced parachute training for SAF members. The Air Force Base, located at the Cerklje ob Krki air base, carries out logistic support, such as fuel supply. The unit is equipped with two PC-6 planes and one L-410 plane. The Air Force Base unites the air supply squad and the technical support unit whose main tasks are to plan and conduct the second stage of aircraft maintenance, carry out technical personnel training, update aircraft documentation, etc. Although the airborne part of the SAF only exists for fifteen years, it has adapted itself constantly to the changing world. In this light another restructuring is due in 2007 when the Air Force School and the 15 Helicopter Battalion will be subordinated to a single command making logistics easier, and reduce staff. Following the decision to operate jet aircraft from 2015 again, major restructuring will take place at Cerklje.

Slovenian Airforce Pilots pocket badge






Battalions

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Regiment ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Squadron ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Equipment ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Base |----- | 15.HEB/BZTRA
(helicopter battalion / battalion of air transport)
File:Logo of the 15 helicopter battalion and battalion of air transport.jpg | | | Ljubljana Airbase |----- | | 1. and 2.hel unit B 412
3.hel unit AS 532
File:Sign of the B412 and AS 532 helicopter unit.jpg | Bell 412
Eurocopter AS 532 | Ljubljana Airbase |----- | | LETRAO
(air transport section)
File:LETRAO. sector for Slovenian air transport.jpg | Pilatus PC-6
Let L-410 Turbolet | Ljubljana Airbase |----- | LETŠ
(Flight School)
File:Sign of the LETSOL military flying school.jpg | | | Cerklje ob Krki Airbase |----- | | 1,2 and 3 section of armed school military aircraft PC 9
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. | Pilatus PC-9 | Cerklje ob Krki Airbase |----- | | 1,2 and 3 section of school military aircraft and school helicopters
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. | Zlín Z 142
Zlín Z 242
Bell 206 | Cerklje ob Krki Airbase |----- | 9. BZO
(Air Defense Battalion)
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. | | | Kranj |----- | | POVLOGBAT
(Command-Air Defense logistics battery)
File:Command-Air Defense logistics battery.jpg | | Vrhnika |----- | | LPRBTZO
(light portable air defense rocket battery)
File:Light portable air defense rocket battery (SLOAF).jpg | SA-7 Grail (Strela-2M)
SA-16 Gimlet (Igla-1)
SA-18 Grouse (Igla) | Slovenska Bistrica |----- | | LSTBTZO
(light air-defense self droven battery)
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. |BOV-3/M55A4
9K31 Strela-1 (Strela-1M)
Gimlet (Igla-1)
Grouse (Igla) | Cerklje ob Krki Airbase |----- | | RBTZO
(rocket air defense battery)
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. |Roland II |Vrhnika |----- | 16. BNZP
(Battalion for the control of airspace)
File:Logo of the 16.Battalion for the control of Slovenian airspace.jpg |ASOC (Air Sovereignty Operational Centre) |AN/TPS 70
EL/M 2106 HEE | Kranj |----- | | CNKZP
(Center for Control of airspace) | - ASOC (Air Sovereignty Operational Centre)
- Frequentis Comm Sys |Kranj |----- | | Ljubljana top at Vrhnika
Kogel glaciers at Pohorje | 2x AN/TPS 70 |Vrhnika
Pohorje |----- | 107. LEBA
(air base)
This file may be deleted after Saturday, 27 June 2009. | | | Ljubljana Airbase
Cerklje ob Krki Airbase |}

Equipment

Anti-aircraft weapons

Radars

Air Force equipment

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[1] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft |----- | Pilatus PC-9M Hudournik [2] || File:Slo Pilatus PC9M with weapons.jpg ||  Switzerland
 Israel || turboprop trainer/attack fighter || PC-9M || 9 || |----- | Pilatus PC-9 || File:Slovenian AF Pilatus PC9 A.jpg ||  Switzerland || turboprop trainer || PC-9A || 2 || 1 crashed in 2004 |----- | Zlin Z-143 || ||  Czech Republic || basic trainer || || 2 || || |----- | Zlin Z 242 || File:Slovenian air force Zlin z 242 main aircraft trainer.jpg ||  Czech Republic || basic trainer || Z 242 L || 8 || |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters |----- | Bell 206 || File:Slovenian Airforce Bell 206 jet ranger.jpg ||  United States
|| utility helicopter || 206B-3 JetRanger III || 4 || |----- | Bell 412 || ||  United States
|| utility helicopter || || 8 || |----- | Eurocopter AS 532AL Cougar || File:Slovenian air force Eurocopter as 532 cougar.jpg ||  European Union || utility helicopter || AS 532 UL/AL || 4 || |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Liaison Aircraft |----- | Pilatus PC-6 Porter || File:Slovenian Air Force Pilatus PC6 Turbo porter.jpg ||  Switzerland || transport || || 2 || |----- | Let L-410 Turbolet || File:Slovenian Air Force Let-410 Turbolet.jpg ||  Czech Republic || transport || || 1 || |----- | Dassault Falcon 2000EX || ||  France || business jet || 2000EX || 1 || government aircraft || |----- |}

Former Aircraft

Pilatus PC-9M Hudournik landing

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service [1] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft |----- | UTVA-75 || ||  Yugoslavia || basic trainer || || 14 || Left by YPA, retired-sold and given to the Civil aeroclubs ( one crashed in 1993, one in 2009 ) |----- | Utva 66 || ||  Yugoslavia || trainer || || 1 || Left by YPA, retired-sold |----- | Soko 522 || ||  Yugoslavia || trainer/attack fighter || || 1 || retired |----- | Zlin Z-526 || ||  Czechoslovakia || trainer || || 1 || Left by YPA, retired-sold |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters |----- | SOKO SA 341 Gazelle || File:Slovene Gazelle helicopter at Brnik air base.jpg ||  Yugoslavia || transport || || 1 || defected from YPA, retired |----- | Agusta AW109 || File:Former Slovenian Teritorial Defense Forces Agusta AW109.jpg ||  Italy || fast VIP transport || A109A Mk II || 1 || Retired in 1996 and transfered to the Slovenian Police || |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft |----- | North American F-86D || ||  United States || attack fighter || F-86D || 2 || Left by YPA, now retired |----- | Republic F-84G || ||  United States || attack fighter || F-84G || 1 || retired |}

Acquisition of new Aircraft

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|  Variants   ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Number ! style="text-align: left; background: lightsteelblue;"|Notes |- |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Liaison Aircraft |----- | JAS 39 Gripen | |  Sweden | JAS 39 Gripen | JAS 39C | 24 | 24 |----- |}

Former equipment

Incidents and Accidents

File:Slovenian TDF Crashed Utva 75 near Slovenj Gradec.jpg



[3] In 1993 a UTVA-75 crashed in Slovenj Gradec. The plane was repaired. In 1994 a Let L-410 Turbolet hit HT wires on landing in Brnik. It was later repaired. In 2004 a Pilatus PC-9 crashed in Lenart, resulting in the death of maj. Drago Svetina. In 2008 a pilot candidate ejected from a Pilatus PC-9, the plane was not damaged and returned safely at Cerklje ob Krki Airbase.

Conflicts

During the Slovenian War of Independence in 1991 the Slovenian Air Defence was very active and damaged or shot down six Helicopters of Yugoslav People's Army [citation needed].

  • 1x SOKO SA 341 Gazelle Ljubljana ( pilot dead )
  • 2x Mil Mi-8 one was damaged in Radenci , it was forced to land, captured, and later returned to YPA. The other was shot down in Ljubljana Ig ( all crew dead ).

See also

References

  1. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15 2007.
  2. ^ Slovenian military aviation OrBat
  3. ^ "Air Forces Losses in rest of ex-Yugoslav Republics since 1991". YuAirWar.com. During 1991 former Yugoslavia fell apart in civil war so rest of their Republics start forming their own Air Forces. With this list for first time are publicly revealed Slovenian, Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina, and Macedonian aircraft losses
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