Armed Forces offer flying hours under SALIS programme for transport of medical supplies

The Armed Forces have offered pre-paid flying hours under the Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) programme for the transport of medical supplies. The advantage of this solution is that supplies can be delivered by an outsized cargo aircraft. Meanwhile, the Slovak Air Force's transport aircraft and helicopters remain on permanent standby to transport material and act on requests for assistance from the SVK Central Crisis Staff.

Chief of Defence Gen Daniel Zmeko said: "We have offered our strategic transport reserve capacity under the SALIS project to arrange for the provision of assistance to SVK citizens." He went on to explain that the Armed Forces have a strategic airlift capability under the Allied SALIS project in the form of large cargo aircraft which are regularly employed to transport personnel and supplies.

Service personnel are continuing to protect border crossings and provide assistance at the entrances to hospitals. As well as being deployed in front of the Kramáre Hospital in Bratislava and the Trebišov Hospital, they also assist at the entrances to hospitals in Martin, Nitra and Nové Zámky. "At the same time, we are ready to deploy additional forces and resources once the SVK Police Corps and the SVK Central Crisis Staff make formal requests for assistance," emphasised Gen Zmeko.

The Defence Medical Service (DMS) has placed 28 doctors and 64 nurses in civilian hospitals. In addition, 13 containers from the military field hospital are being used to sort out patients at the Central Military Hospital Ružomberok.