Slovakia has already conducted "preliminary negotiations" with Brazil regarding the purchase of Super Tucano light attack aircraft and KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.
The estimated quantity and cost of the delivery have not yet been specified; however, it is known that Slovakia first began discussing the potential acquisition of the KC-390 Millennium back in 2015. This is mentioned in a publication on the Infodefensa portal.
It is noted that currently, the Slovak Air Force has extremely limited capabilities in the military transport aviation segment, with only two C-27J light military transport aircraft and a few L-410 aircraft available.
Additionally, it is detailed that the Slovak side expects to receive the first Brazilian KC-390 Millennium in 2030, specifically to replace the aforementioned aircraft types.
The necessity for Slovakia to consider purchasing the Super Tucano is highlighted by the following data from The Military Balance 2024 report – at the beginning of this year, the Slovak Air Force had six L-39C training-combat aircraft and two L-39ZAM, but in reality, these aircraft are technically inoperative.
Up to this point, the Brazilian KC-390 Millennium has already been acquired by Portugal and Hungary among NATO European countries, with Czechia and the Netherlands also being customers, and now Slovakia plans to join this group.
In this case, it is not just about the fact that there is a shortage in the global arms market, including the military transport aircraft segment, which actually ensures such export success for the Brazilian transporter.
Moreover, this situation indicates that there seems to be a lack of standardization within the Alliance regarding military transport aviation, as well as training aviation (considering the Slovaks' intention to purchase the "Super Tucano"). This is indeed a significant issue.