In recent years, the Slovak defence industry has found itself at the centre of turbulent changes and challenges. Since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent war in Ukraine significantly affected the global security and economic situation, the Slovak defence sector has had to adapt to new realities.
That is why we in the Adapt Institute decided to develop a project and prepare a report that provides a detailed overview of the current state of the Slovak defence industry and identifies its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- The authors are our analysts Viliam Ostatník and Adam Potočňák. Pavol Beblavý and Matejo Rafael Riško assisted them with data collection and analysis.
The report “Slovak Defence Industry: Navigating Through New Reality Towards Rebirth” is key for several reasons. First, it provides an objective view of the current state of the Slovak defence industry, which is essential for informed decision-making at both political and business levels. Second, thanks to an extensive SWOT analysis, it identifies specific areas for improvement and proposes solutions to exploit opportunities and mitigate threats. Thirdly, this report can serve as a basis for developing a long-term strategy for the development of the defence industry in Slovakia, which is essential for ensuring national security and economic stability.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Slovak defence industry
The report identifies a number of strengths and weaknesses of the Slovak defence industry. Strengths include the ability to adapt quickly to new conditions and a high level of technical know-how. On the other hand, weaknesses include insufficient state support, limited financial resources and a low level of international cooperation.
Opportunities and threats
The main opportunities include the possibility to increase exports of defence technologies and products, as well as the potential for the development of new technologies and innovation. Threats include geopolitical risks, economic instability and competition from foreign firms.
Recommendations for the future
The authors of the report make a number of specific recommendations to improve the state of the Slovak defence industry. All points in a comprehensive table can be found in our study.
The Slovak defence industry has many challenges but also opportunities ahead. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the current situation, identifies key issues and offers concrete recommendations to address them. The implementation of these recommendations can help the Slovak defence industry reach its full potential and contribute to national security and economic stability. Cooperation between the state, business and academia is essential for the successful implementation of the proposed measures. This is the only way for the Slovak defence industry to reach its full potential.
Realized with financial support from the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic under the subsidy programme. The authors are solely responsible for the content of the document.
