123 Sodobni vojaški izzivi, september 2019 – 21/št. 3
Contemporary Military Challenges, September 2019 – 21/No. 3
SLOVENSKA VOJSKA 15 LET PO VSTOPU 
REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE V NATO
Andrej Osterman
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS 
AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
h kakovostnemu razvoju Slovenske vojske. S sodelovanjem v mednarodnih 
del bremena. 
Povzetek
Ključne 
besede
Abstract
DOI: 10.33179/BSV.99.SVI.11.CMC.21.3.7
 124 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
Andrej Osterman
 
impact on its economic development. Despite the positive contribution and the 
Key words
Introduction
 125 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
in a referendum of 2003 .
 1 THE SAF AFTER JOINING NATO
1 
and unrepeatable for the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. Three days after the referendum, on 
of Slovenia solemnly deposited its instrument of accession in Washington on 29 March 2004, together with other 
 126 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
2. 
its active and contract reserve members.
for the Republic of Slovenia and the decision of the Republic of Slovenia to join 
available resources. 
3.
2 The last conscripts completed their mandatory military service in 2003. The SAF is now a fully professional 
armed force complemented by a contractual reserve and, if necessary, augmented by a strategic reserve.
3 
Romania; the NATO Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence COE in the Czech 
the Netherlands.
Andrej Osterman
 127 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
critical. 
 1.1 Participation in international operations and missions 
4 
transition period, with the Republic of Slovenia and its armed forces credibly participating in defence and 
defence planning, participation in joint commands, integration into the Allied force structure, contribution to 
response forces, participation in international operations and missions, and the building of national capabilities 
which, through the doctrines and standards, are interoperable with others in the Alliance.” (2011, p 45).
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
 128 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
important part of the Alliance's common tasks.5
 
inter alia
5 
organizations and through treaties.”
and collective defence.”
missions are determined by its geostrategic position, political, security, economic, development, humanitarian 
and other interests and principles, including obligations within the international organisations of which it is 
a member, at the global and regional levels. For all types of international operations and missions, except for 
and the Caucasus, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and other regions in the world.”
Andrej Osterman
 129 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
Year 2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
2
0
1
0
2
0
1
1
2
0
1
2
2
0
1
3
2
0
1
4
2
0
1
5
2
0
1
6
2
0
1
7
2
0
1
8
Number of 
deployed 
personnel 
247 273 324 751 456 512 459 442 424 402 419 402 332 300 350
 
 1.2 The positive impact of multinational military exercises on the readiness 
of the SAF 
rd
Table 1: 
Average number 
of SAF personnel 
per IOM 
(2004-2018)
Source: 
Summarized 
from the Annual 
Reports of the 
Ministry of 
Defence of the 
Republic of 
Slovenia.
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
 130 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
7
 1.3 Standardization as the cornerstone of interoperability
Year 2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
2
0
1
0
2
0
1
1
2
0
1
2
2
0
1
3
2
0
1
4
2
0
1
5
2
0
1
6
2
0
1
7
2
0
1
8
Adopted 
SVSs
18 35 50 25 46 51 52 41 46 42 29 33 32 62 42
Nationally 
confirmed 
STANAGs
9 74 66 42 44 120 165 59 57 59 49 61 301 147 97
therefore necessary to adopt NATO STANAGs into the Slovenian military standards.” (2010, p 253).
Table 2: 
A statistical 
overview of 
the number of 
standards
Source: 
MoD - 
Standardization 
and Codification 
Section.
Andrej Osterman
 131 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
. In 
Joint Standardization Board and the Land Standardization Board.
 1.4 The presence of SAF members in NATO Command Structure and Force 
Structure, representations and other structures
in order to take on these international duties. Lessons learned from duties abroad 
 
2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
2
0
0
8
2
0
0
9
2
0
1
0
2
0
1
1
2
0
1
2
2
0
1
3
2
0
1
4
2
0
1
5
2
0
1
6
2
0
1
7
2
0
1
8
Number 
of SAF 
members 
abroad 
15 60 80 91 83 78 74 67 60 71 65 64 69 70 73
9 
operational on the basis of NATO STANAGs, which further increases their importance.
Table 3: 
The statistical 
overview of the 
number of SAF 
personnel abroad
Source: 
SAF General Staff/
Joint Personnel 
Division.
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 2 NATO’S ADAPTATION TO NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES 
deterioration of relations with Russia . 
in the event of a threat. The new reinforced deterrence posture is based on the action 
plan of readiness and the commitment to increase investment in the development 
of defence capabilities. The deterrence and defence activities must be adapted to 
10 
parallel, to the south, the security situation in the Middle East and Africa has deteriorated due to a combination 
Allied countries and elsewhere.” 
11 Military adaptation refers to the strengthening of NATO's deterrence and defence posture, which includes the 
implementation of commitments adopted at the NATO Summit in Wales. Political adaptation, however, refers 
to ensuring and strengthening interoperability and an enhanced dialogue with partners, cooperation with 
implementation of various reforms. 
12 
is to provide a framework within which national and Alliance defence planning activities can be harmonised 
capabilities, to undertake the Alliance’s full spectrum of missions.”
Andrej Osterman
 133 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
.
a result of this cooperation .
 2.1 NATO’s activities to respond to new sources of threat 
. In addition to 
13 The Republic of Slovenia began to participate in the operation in Afghanistan in 2004. The number of SAF 
personnel gradually increased so that between 2009 and 2011 the Slovenian contingent on average numbered over 
90 members. Later, the number began to decrease so that the contingent now includes up to 10 SAF members.
14 
in the Mediterranean.
15 
members that they would be protected from any potential aggression from Russia. These measures included 
bolstering land, maritime and air activities in the relevant areas and undertaking a series of exercises focused 
on collective defence. The RAP also included longer-term adaptation measures to meet the evolving threat, 
Eastern Europe; plus a range of measures designed to enhance the capabilities of the Alliance’s multinational 
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
 134 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
. The Republic 
of Slovenia also makes a contribution to these forces . The situation in the broader 
 2.2 A changed security environment 
 
Joint Task Force was formed to better respond to the changing security environment to the east and south of the 
Alliance’s borders.”
 
 
China and the redistribution of geostrategic power. While the West might be less dominant in the future 
security environment around the Euro-Atlantic region has become more volatile, with a growing potential for 
disruptive, changes associated with the shifts of power and challenges to the existing world order are likely 
collective defence of the Euro-Atlantic region.”
Andrej Osterman
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.
19 
maintenance of a secure and safe maritime environment, while collaborating with other actors, such as the 
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 15 YEARS AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA JOINED NATO
 136 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
20. It is important to build and develop defensive and 
 2.3 Enhancing military responsiveness as a reaction to new security 
challenges
 have been 
 22. 
20 
21 
Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Bydgoszcz (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania), Bratislava (Slovakia), and 
countries. 
support to facilitate the rapid deployment of Allied forces to the Eastern part of the Alliance and support 
collective defence planning. They also work with host nations to identify logistical networks, transportation 
routes and supporting infrastructure.” 
22 
Andrej Osterman
 137 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
23. International 
 2.4 Adaptation of the SAF to new security challenges 
23 
exercises and evaluation at strategic, operational and tactical levels. Therefore, policy documents exist to 
Policy and all Bi-SC directives are derived from it.”
24 
increasingly unpredictable and uncertain. The fundamental characteristic of this environment is the complexity 
of mass destruction, organized crime, terrorism, natural and other disasters, famine, infectious diseases, 
environmental pollution etc.)” (2005, pp 22-23).
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25. A number of 
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
MoD financial 
plan
(million EUR)
546.3 549.8 552.6 448.3 396.7 350.7 339.9 343.9 389.2 406.6 435.6
RS def. exp. 
(million EUR)*
566.2 575.1 583.0 478.9 423.0 381.7 366.5 361.4 406.2 425.5 448.6
RS def. exp. 
(% of GDP)*
1.49 1.59 1.61 1.30 1.17 1.05 0.97 0.93 1.00 1.00 0.99
25 
responsibility of the government, which sets up conditions for them in society.”
Table 4: 
MOD’s financial 
plans and defence 
expenditure from 
2008 to 2017
Source: 
Ministry of 
Defence of the 
Republic of 
Slovenia (www.
mo.gov.si/
si/o_ministrstvu/).
Andrej Osterman
 139 Sodobni vojaški izzivi/Contemporary Military Challenges
. 
Smart Defence includes multinational cooperation in the development of individual 
with smaller nations that make smaller and more specialized contributions. This 
 Smart Defence was presented by NATO Secretary-General Andres Fogh Rasmussen at the Munich Security 
June 2013 and presented to member states in more detail in September 2013.
Conclusion
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27.
the Republic of Slovenia must establish normative and other conditions for the 
 
Andrej Osterman
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1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. Grizold, A., 2005. Slovenija v spremenjenem varnostnem okolju. Ljubljana, Fakulteta za 
9. 
Countering Radicalism and Extremism – future Challenges for Counter Terrorism 
Corporative Security Studies. Ljubljana.
10. 
11. 
, 23 April 2019.
12. Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, Annual Reports of the Ministry of 
 22 April 2019.
13. 
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Andrej Osterman