A few years ago I was fortunate enough to work with the Slovenian Forces. Together with Jurgen van Toor I did some air-to-air work in the Slovenian Alps. The following article appeared in Scramble Magazine:

15 years of military aviation in Slovenia
By Arnold ten Pas & Jurgen van Toor
On 28 June 1991, Major Jože Kalan and Senior Master Sergeant Bogomir Štupar managed to escape the Yugoslav Peoples Army (YPA) with an SA341 Gazelle and fled to Slovenia. It would mark the beginning of a new European Air Force when in July 1992 the 15th Air Force Brigade (15 AFB) was established, the Gazelle being the first asset. Besides the Gazelle, the 15 AFB used three Bell 412 and an A109 which was sold in 1995. Although no less than 21 pilots were in service at that time, Slovenia was having difficulties acquiring more aircraft as embargos were still in place. It is the only former Yugoslavian country which has not inherited any Yugoslav Air Force aircraft.

As soon as the embargos were lifted more helicopters were acquired. During the nineties five Bell 412s were delivered, mainly used for transport and civil protection. The 15 AFB was further upgraded by the procurement of four AS532AL Cougar Eurocopter multi-purpose transport helicopters, which the unit introduced into operational use in spring 2003 and 2004. In November 2004, the 15th Air Force Brigade was reorganised into the 15th Helicopter Brigade and subordinated to the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) Force Command. Another name-change took place recently when the unit was dubbed 15th Helicopter Battalion or 15.HEB.

Structure & Tasks
15th Helicopter Battalion
Situated 45 kilometres North of Ljubljana is the International Airport Brnik. The 15th Helicopter Battalion (15.HEB) is based at the military part of this airport, which is maintained by the Combat Service Support Command of the Slovenian Armed Forces.

The Helicopter Battalion is used to provide support for combat operations and is also tasked with Search and Rescue tasks. Currently, the unit is active in Kosovo and participated in SFOR until 2003. The Battalion will reach full operational capability by 2014. Currently, the unit consists of two Bell 412 flights, an AS532AL flight and an aviation technical unit. Furthermore, a single L-410 and two PC-6s are used for transport and liaison duties.

Basic tasks of the battalion are the provision of air support to SAF units, training of pilots and technicians, SAR and participation in the protection, rescue & relief system and carrying out tasks in co-operation with and for the requirements of other SAF units. 15.HEB closely co-operates with the Slovenian Mountaineering Association, which it assists by supplying mountain huts and transporting mountaineers. The Battalion also supports the Mountain Rescue Service by participating in searching and rescuing injured people in the mountains, as it is capable to quickly access difficult, yet passable Slovenian Alps situated in the Northern part of the country.

Over the last years the unit has gained international experience by joining Partnership for Peace (PfP exercises, conducting unit exchanges and participating in international operations. Besides that the Brigade has hosted a few exchange pilots from NATO countries.

Air Force School – Gradus ad Parnassum
The Air Base in Cerklje ob Krki is home to the Letalska Šola Slovenske Vojske (LETŠ) or Slovenian Air Force School (AFS), which is strangely enough not subordinated to the Force Command, but to the Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command. Once a Yugoslavian jet-base, it had to be rebuilt from scratch as almost all infrastructures were demolished by its former occupants. The planning, projecting and building of permanent military installations at this airport are carried out in line with NATO standards. Focus of development of military airport infrastructure is at Cerklje ob Krki, which obtains and retains the status of military airport.

Currently, capabilities for daytime, night-time, and various weather conditions are being established (light equipment for manoeuvring surfaces, installation of ILS). Plans exist to increase the size and number of ramps and to upgrade the taxiways at the base as from 2015 the SAF plans to operate jet aircraft again.

The Flying School is responsible for training pilots and other specialised aviation personnel. The development of the school, while maintaining internationally recognised status under joint aviation regulations, will be directed towards the formation of a national aviation school responsible for training professional pilots and aviation technicians for the needs of the state bodies of Slovenia and, under special decision, the national air carrier; Adria.

The school consists of: two squadrons of PC-9M training combat planes; two squadrons of Zlin242L and Zlin143L training aircraft, a squadron of Bell 206 training helicopters, a parachute training squadron and a Technical school.

Students, which are usually graduates from the University of Ljubljana, start their basic flying training with 50 hours on the Z242L and Z143L (the latter is mainly used for IFR training). After completing this phase students are selected for either fixed wing or helicopter training. The helicopter training consists of 150 hours on the Bell 206 of which the AFS currently owns three. After that final type training is conducted on the Bell 412 (45 hours) and AS532AL. Training on the AS523AL is being done in France as the SAF currently has not enough Cougars available for training. After completion of the training, pilots will be transferred to the 15.HEB at Brnik.

When a student is selected for fixed wing training, it is transferred to the PC-9 and has to finish three phases: Advanced I (125 hours), Advanced II (90 hours) and postgraduate (90 hours). During the latter pilots are trained to conduct air-ground operations including (simulated) Sidewinder use. Upon completing the final course pilots will become Flight Instructor (FI), Class Flight Instructor (CFI), or Type Rating Instructor (TRI) or will leave the SAF becoming civil airline pilots. Frustrating in this case is the fact that no contractual agreements are made with students about the length of their stay in the Slovenian Forces.