Speaking in front of the assembled Slovak Armed Forces and Bundeswehr troops, Slovak Defence Minister Martin Sklenár said: “My thanks go to our German partners who have provided the Slovak Armed Forces with these systems, free of charge and permanently. It is proof that our alliance pays off for Slovakia. Along with our engagement in support of Ukraine, it brings us countless benefits as well as security and protection guarantees, and, as we can see today, it also gives us opportunities to strengthen our own capabilities.”
The MANTIS air defence systems are currently being fielded to 11 SVK AF Bde Nitra. They will protect critical national infrastructure (CNI) facilities in eastern Slovakia. Over 100 service personnel have been trained on MANTIS, including on all aspects of operation, firing and maintenance.
Each of the two MANTIS systems consists of six automatic weapon stations (optionally available with up to eight guns), two sensor units, and a command post. The package from Germany also includes 5 surveillance radars with a range of up to 100km and specialist training for SVK military personnel.
The Rheinmetall-made Modular, Automatic and Network Capable Targeting and Interception System (MANTIS) is a stationary, fully automated weapon station designed to provide continuous air defence cover for ground installations such as military bases or forward operating bases (FOBs), defending against the effects of incoming rockets, artillery rounds, mortar shells, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Germany originally developed MANTIS to protect the camps where Bundeswehr troops were stationed in Afghanistan.
