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Support for SVK Defence Industry takes on new dimension in Brussels

Ministry of Defence of The Slovak Republic

16.10.2025

Slovakia has become a leader in the prestigious NATO Fires Centre of Excellence (NATO FCOE). On the margins of the NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels on 15 October 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák joined the other Defence Ministers from Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Turkey, and the United Kingdom in signing the Letter of Intent concerning Cooperation on the NATO Fires Centre of Excellence, while Italy had acceded to the initiative earlier.

This is hailed as a major success in Slovakia's efforts to establish the NATO FCOE, a recognition of the SVK Defence Industry's expertise and potential, and a milestone in the Military Technical and Testing Institute ('VTSÚ') Záhorie's aspiration to achieve NATO Centre of Excellence status.

The NATO FCOE will focus on developing Field Artillery (FA) and Field Artillery Fire Control (FAFC) capabilities, as well as on the interoperability and integration of Field Artillery Command and Control (FAC2) systems across Allied forces. This is an excellent "business card" for VTSÚ Záhorie. Slovakia will become the first smaller country and only the seventh to have two NATO COEs in the entire Alliance.

In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák said: "For Slovakia, this is a huge success and proof that we have been a reliable and stable partner in the Alliance. Our role in this project will strengthen both regional and Alliance-wide cooperation by bringing new opportunities for the professional growth of Slovak and Allied soldiers alike. This also sends out a message to all subject matter experts that the SVK Defence Industry is viewed positively by the world community."