Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence
The Slovenian Air Force, established on May 15, 1991, is the aerial branch of the Slovenian Armed Forces. Originally part of the Yugoslav Air Force, it became an independent force after Slovenia gained independence from Yugoslavia. The primary goal of the air force is to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Slovenia. The air force operates a relatively small fleet of aircraft, including nine Pilatus PC-9M trainers, two Airbus Helicopters AS532 Cougar transports, and one AgustaWestland AW109 utility helicopter. The air force's missions involve air surveillance, air defense, tactical support, transportation, and search and rescue operations. The Air Force is headquartered at Cerklje ob Krki Air Base, which serves as the primary operational base for its aircraft. The air force is also responsible for the air defense of Slovenia's airspace, utilizing a network of radar stations located across the country. In recent years, the air force has worked on enhancing its capabilities through modernization initiatives and participation in international exercises and missions, maintaining a focus on meeting the defense needs of Slovenia.
Key facts
| Official Name | Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence |
| Local Name | Slovenska vojska - Letalske enote |
| Country | 🇸🇮 Slovenia |
| World rank | #101 |
| Active aircrafts | 37 (as of 2024) |
| Aircrafts on order | 1 |
| Roundel |
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Number of active aircrafts by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
| Training | 22 | |
| Helicopters | 12 | |
| Transport | 3 | |
Aircrafts most used by Slovenian air forces
| Aircraft | Active | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC-9 | 8 | Swiss trainer aircraft, renowned for its use in aerobatics, globally employed for military flight training since the 1980s. | |
| UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" | 8 | American utility helicopter, essential in the Vietnam War, extensively employed for medevac, transport, and combat operations. | |
| Z 42 | 8 | Czech training aircraft, introduced in the late 20th century, extensively utilized for flight instruction and aerobatics worldwide. | |
| 206 JetRanger | 4 | American light helicopter, well known for civilian, military, emergency medical services, and offshore oil support roles since the 1960s. | |
| H215M / AS532 Cougar | 4 | French utility helicopter, notable for search and rescue missions, extensively utilized in military and civilian sectors since the 1970s. | |
| PC-6 Porter | 2 | Swiss light utility aircraft, renowned for its versatility and ruggedness, extensively utilized in remote areas for cargo transport and search and rescue missions. | |
| Z 43 | 2 | Czech training aircraft, primarily used for general aviation and flight training since the late 20th century. | |
| L-410 | 1 | Czech twin-engine short-range transport aircraft, deployed internationally since the 70s, used in both civil and military operations. | |
| G.222 | 0 | Italian tactical military transporter, produced during the Cold War, notably employed by NATO and UN peacekeeping missions. | |
Full inventory in 2024
Slovenian Armed Forces
| Aircraft Type | Model | Active | Ordered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | Bell 412 | ||
| H215M/AS532 | |||
| Training | PC-9 | ||
| Zlin 242 | |||
| Bell 206 | |||
| Zlin 143 | |||
| Transport | PC-6 | ||
| L-410 | |||
| C-27J |