Due to the conversion work at the main base Silac for the new F-16/70s of the Slovakian Air Force arriving from 2024, the “Slovak International Air Fest” took place for the second time on the first weekend in September at Malacky/Kuchyna Airbase (LZMC) north of Bratislava. Although this time – compared to the F-22s last year – there were no international highlights, but there was still a wide range of interesting participants and displays for around 30,000 visitors (including many families) in perfect weather.
For example, the UH-60M helicopters now also planned for AustriaThe Slovakian Air Force (Vzdušné sily Slovenskej Republiky) is flying nine of them, with two more for the special forces to follow. Also worth mentioning is the overflight of a German Eurofighter alert rotorcraft (a mix of Tranche-1 and -2 with armed IRIS-T), which from exactly September 2 and until the end of the year (in cooperation with Poland and the Czech Republic) “co-protects” Slovakian airspace from Neuburgbecause Slovakia parked its MiG-29s during SIAF-2022 and handed them over to Ukraine. https://militaeraktuell.at/kommandouebergabe-beim-militaerkommando-kaernten/ According to local information, Austria is aware of this constellation, which our air chief also confirmed on request. In addition to the obligatory overflights of the Slovakian government aircraft A-319 and Fokker-100 (the western neighbor does not dare to do something similar in the media), the single Bell-429 of the Slovakian Ministry of the Interior was also on display; this type had competed in this country against the AW169 of Leonardo in the competition. The Falcons parachute team of the British RAF gave a spectacular and professional performance, including a likeable female narrator. The Croatian PC-9 team Krila Oluje and a Slovenian PC-9M also deserve a mention. From the Salzburg Flying Bulls stable, the newly acquired T-28 Trojan – also in flight – was on display, a wonderfully preserved US Navy basic trainer from the 1960s. Also back was the first prototype of the new Aero L-39NG jet trainer. Manufacturer Aero Vodochody is currently working on the completion of an order from Vietnam, according to director Viktor Sotona completion of an order from Vietnamfollowed by twelve aircraft for Hungary.
The planned successor to the Saab-105OE, which was decommissioned at the end of of the Saab-105OE, which was discontinued at the end of 2020 “remains in contact”, as was explained.
In addition to their Sky Striker and Skylark exhibition, there was also an interesting discussion about Austria with the Israeli company Elbitin which reference was made to the MALE Hermes drone, which has also been launched in Switzerland. Austrian army officials had already viewed the Starliner version there, which is the name of the Hermes-900 with – a not insignificant aspect – civilian certification. The (short-term) Minister of Defense, Martin Sklenar, was also on hand for a tour of the stand. Nevertheless, he flew a lap in the stationary simulator of the smaller Leonardo trainer M-345. The latter is currently competing in Slovakia – interrupted by the election – with the L-39NG from Aero. A German A400M with Defender 2023 stood out in the static display, as did an ex-German Leopard 2, a recognizable product of the Scholz ring swap – after the T-72 was handed over to the Ukraine.
