Slovakia receives Barak MX air defence system

Slovakia received the Barak MX air defence system (pictured firing interceptor), on 23 April 2026. (IAI)

The Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced the delivery of the first Barak MX air defence system to the Slovak Air Force on 23 April 2026 in a press release later the same day. The MoD said the delivery, which includes training and support, was completed ahead of schedule.

Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák said on 23 April, “The first battery of the Barak MX system has already been deployed at an undisclosed location. The system is currently being brought into operation, with full operational readiness expected in the coming weeks. This process also includes the ongoing training of Slovak soldiers and the arrival of foreign experts. Additional components of this system are arriving and will continue to arrive throughout the year.”

IAI CEO and President Boaz Levy added that Slovak Armed Forces personnel who will operate the Barak MX received “a long series of theoretical and practical training”.

Slovakia is acquiring six Barak MX air defence systems, including Barak extended, long, and medium range missiles with ranges of 150 km, 70 km, and 35 km respectively. Together the three missiles of the system are able to engage aerial threats including ballistic missiles, aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The MoD noted that Barak MX is capable of simultaneous interception of multiple threats, with multi-mission radars (MMRs) at the core of the system providing detection, classification, and tracking capabilities.

Neither the Slovak Ministry of Defence nor IAI had responded to questions by the time of publication.

For more, please see:Feature: European NATO members build layered air defence