Portugal will deploy its own combat drones in Slovakia for the first time. Prototypes from domestic development await a key operational test within NATO units.
The Portuguese army will deploy drones developed and manufactured in Portugal for the first time as part of its national contingent in Slovakia. TASR informs about it according to the report of the Lusa agency.
- The Portuguese army will deploy the first domestic drones in Slovakia.
- The drones were developed by the Portuguese company Beyond Vision with the military.
- They will be delivered to Slovakia at the end of June for testing.
- They are used for reconnaissance, tracking and support of tanks and vehicles.
“These are the first prototypes meeting the military requirements defined by the Portuguese Army, manufactured in Portugal and developed with the use of Portuguese engineering and industry,” said the Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Army, Eduardo Mendes Ferrão, to Lusa.
According to him, unmanned aerial systems should be sent to Slovakia at the end of June. The drones are the result of a research and development project by the Portuguese company Beyond Vision in collaboration with the military.
They will increase the number of soldiers
After testing in Portugal, they are now in the “multinational operational validation” phase. “We have the first prototypes that have been tested here in Portugal and will now be sent to Slovakia for testing in an operational context,” said Mendes Ferrão.
Two systems will be deployed to strengthen the reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence and support capabilities of the Portuguese forces in Slovakia, which use Leopard 2A6 tanks and Pandur 8×8 armored vehicles.
There are approximately 120 Portuguese soldiers operating in Slovakia as part of the NATO Multinational Battle Group, and their number should increase to 155 during the next rotation.
