Slovakia to Receive Second Barak MX Air Defense Battery by End of 2026

Slovakia will receive its second Israeli-made Barak MX air defense battery by the end of 2026, according to Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák, as reported by Future Army.

The first battery arrived in Slovakia in spring 2026.

The third battery is expected to be delivered in 2027.

Slovakia has ordered a total of six Barak MXbatteries, all of which are expected to be delivered by 2030. The new systems will replace the country’s Soviet-era Kub surface-to-air missile systems.

The procurement of Barak MX systems is being carried out under an intergovernmental agreement and a contract with Israel Aerospace Industries, an Israeli state-owned company. The agreement covers the delivery of launchers, missiles, radar systems, command posts, as well as logistics support and specialist training.

Barak Air Defense System

The development of the Barak family began in Israel in the 1980s, led by Israel Aerospace Industries in cooperation with Rafael. The initial Barak 1 variant was developed as a short-range naval air defense system to protect warships against anti-ship missiles.

Over time, the concept evolved into land-based variants, leading to the modern, modular Barak MX family of air defense systems.

The system comprises a command-and-control unit and a radar station equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA).

The Barak MX can use three types of surface-to-air missiles with different engagement ranges. The short-range BARAKMRAD has a range of up to 35 km, the medium-range BARAK LRAD up to 70 km, and the long-range BARAK ER can engage targets at distances of up to 150 km.

The system is capable of intercepting and destroying a wide range of targets, including aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

As previously reported, the Slovak Air Force would resume protecting the country’s airspace with its own forces in the coming days, using American-made F-16 Block 70 fighter jets.