Kalinak: Decision on Acquisition of New Tanks Not Yet Made by Defence Ministry
24. septembra 2025 11:55
Bratislava, 24 September (TASR) - The Defence Ministry hasn't yet made a decision regarding the acquisition of new tanks, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) told a news conference when reacting to a question from TASR on Tuesday (23 September).
According to Kalinak, Slovakia currently has two alternatives for procuring tanks. One of them is the British-Swedish CV90120, while the other is a Turkish-made tank. Both types are currently still under development.
"Anyway, both should be 40-percent cheaper, maybe half the price. That means cheaper service and a higher share of production in Slovakia," said the minister. Kalinak estimates that the tanks will not be ready for deployment earlier than in three or four years.
Kalinak in late December said that the ministry might buy CV90120 tanks in the future. The advantage of these, according to him, is their lighter weight. At the same time, however, they have a main gun comparable with those of heavy tanks.
ko/df