As part of the NATO mission they lead in Slovakia, the armed forces have deployed numerous capabilities, including cutting-edge weapons and warfare technologies. Thanks to it, they will be able to train in multiple combat situations, using systems against drones and helicoptersthrough high-tech Israeli anti-tank missiles and 3D printerswhich they use to replace part of the equipment they are missing in record time.
EL ESPAÑOL was able to see the improvements that this technology brings to the NATO base. The one responsible for its management is the Bripac air defense unit, which has a short-range missile unit from the VI Parachute Artillery Group.
The Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces have dedicated themselves entirely to this mission, since it is the first time that Spain has carried out a mission on the eastern flank and acts as a framework nation within the Atlantic Alliance. The moment when a step forward has been taken is particularly crucial in the geopolitical context. The soldiers carry out their training with the prospect that the war on NATO territory, after Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraineis an increasingly real possibility.
The Spanish leadership of the mission in Slovakia assumes important responsibilities, such as planning and execution of operations and exercises, as well as coordinating much of the logistics associated with these activities. For the government, having applied and assumed this responsibility demonstrates that Spain is a reliable and committed partner in collective defense and stability on the eastern flank of the Atlantic Alliance.
This responsibility is manifested in the transfer and training at the military base in Lešť (Slovakia) of some of the best capabilities available to the army. There are the 800 soldiers of its Parachute Brigade, integrated into the 1,100 soldiers of the contingent with Slovenia, Slovakia, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Everything is coordinated from an enclave on the outskirts of Bratislava called Kuchyňa.
It is in this enclave that a hangar and a landing strip will be installed, where at least two Tiger helicopters and an NH90 will be transferred. In this base there is 33 highly specialized soldiers. From there, they carry out planning and liaison with the mother cell of this mission, NATO headquarters in Bétera (Valencia).
The work in Kuchyňa is complemented by coordination with the three countries which make up the area of operations: Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
One of the BRIPAC 3D printers in Slovakia.
The objective of this section is to defend brigade units against air-to-ground attacks. It must also secure the airspace in the area, in this case around the Slovak base. To carry out these tasks, the Bripac section transferred the Mistral missile system and the Cervus C-UAS anti-drone system to the maneuvering field.
This mechanism creates a sort of safety net around itself, like a sphere which, when activated, prevents the passage of unmanned aircraft.
The artillery captain Garcia Gonzalezhead of the anti-aircraft defense deployed in Slovakia, describes the advantages of the Cervus from the maneuvering range, after a live demonstration: “It can intercept an infinite number of drones. The system can perform inhibition towards a specific sector, or in an emergency, create a safety bubble above you of approximately 300 to 500 meters.”
The Mistral and the Spike
On the maneuvering ground, located in the heart of Slovakia, one of the soldiers easily handles the Mistral, a low-altitude aerial missile, used to shoot down helicopters at low altitude, up to 3 kilometers above sea level and another three kilometers further. . Helps defend maneuver units.
Along with this technology, Bripac also uses Israeli Spike anti-tank technology, a smart anti-tank missile that always looks for the point where it can cause the most damage to the enemy vehicle. “That puts an end to any car. It’s practically foolproof“, says Lieutenant-Colonel Pereda, in full maneuver in the Slovak night.
A BRIPAC soldier manipulates the Mistral.
“The tails always have more armor in the front, and this missile has enough technology to attack from the sky. Accuracy is almost 100% with every shot, because the projectile seeks to hit the top of the car or the rear, where it can do the most damage,” he adds.
3D printers
In the Lešť complex, the army installed a hub logistics in an enclave called Kosovo. From there, the Spanish army organizes the reception and requests all the equipment necessary for the mission.
There are also workshops and maintenance stations for vehicles. 200 vehicles that were sent to the mission. But the most interesting thing is inside an armored container they named Prometheus 2.
It is a machine capable of designing and printing small metal or plastic parts for vehicles in less than 24 hours. This helps them solve many problems that arise daily with minor combat elements or armored vehicles.
