In a videoconference recently held with the Spanish Armed Forces detachment in Slovakia, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, expressed her “gratitude to the current contingent, which is in full rotation, for their dedication to the defense and security of the country.”
During the audiovisual meeting, Colonel Sánchez Arribas, who primarily leads soldiers from the ‘King Alfonso XIII’ Brigade of the Legion, emphasized the importance of the presence of the Spanish Armed Forces in Slovakia, stating that they represent “the tranquility” for both the authorities and the civilian population.
The colonel described the mission in Slovakia as “tremendously positive,” highlighting the high levels of operability and coordination achieved with other nations. Additionally, he assured that the objectives of deterrence and common defense have been met, which has led to significant recognition of Spain and its Armed Forces.
The minister also highlighted the favorable perception towards Spanish soldiers by the local population, attributing this recognition to the hard work they do abroad. In this context, the deployment in Slovakia not only strengthens security but also allows Spanish soldiers to improve their capabilities in threat identification, new technologies, and logistics.
Spain has permanently deployed about 800 soldiers from a total multinational contingent of around 1,100 troops in the Central European country, acting as “framework nation” and leader of the NATO Multinational Brigade (MN BDE SVK) in Slovakia. The operations and training center is located at the Lešť base and training ground (Campeslavia).
As part of the Strong Lineage exercise, the Army leads NATO pilot projects to test the “robotic strip” on the battlefield. This includes the experimental deployment of advanced drone systems, electronic warfare, command and control tools, and anti-drone protection defenses.
