1. TRANSFORMATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES
SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE DEFENCE MINISTERIAL
(SEDM)
ANNUAL DEPUTY CHIEFS OF DEFENCE STAFFS MEETING
TRANSFORMATION OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES By
Col Ivan Mikuž
J5 Division Head
Good morning (afternoon) XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, Lady(s) and gentlemen
It is my pleasure to present you the on going process that SAF is involved in. I said on going process because transformation is a road and not a destination. And there are milestones on the road from where we orient ourselves in the changing global world, observe the incoming future, changing environment and threats, related security implications and changes in the character of current and future warfare.

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE Background Integration to NATO
Transformation Process
Future Plans and Challenges
My intention is to run you through on the slide presented points. Le me start from some current basic information. Quick look on the road we travelled. I’ll explain you the status of our accession and integration process. Taking into account our transformational efforts we will end with the discussion on our future planes and challenges.

3. 19 Years of Transition Process
TRANSFORMATION
10.000
EU / NATO MEMBERSHIP
Professionalization
Integration
Reorganization
REORGANIZATION
76.000
39.000
26.000
INDEPENDENCE
This slide presents the process of understanding the wider context of political and military reforms and the complexity of the impact they have on the transition structure and transformation. The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) derive from the Slovenian Territorial Defense organization, which was one of the main player in our short independence war in 1991.
That was a robust force of the troops in total, primarily reserve. It’s main role was to operate at home and relied on the mobilization. Depending on the type of operations, it was trained and equipped to perform irregular warfare, territorial control and when appropriate support the main manoeuvre forces.
Shortly before our independence we introduced a national conscript system and appropriate organization to support it.
In 1994 the Territorial defence was officially renamed into the Slovenian Armed Forces. Since then we went through several reorganizations. The strength of the SAF has been gradually reduced from to troops. Right now the new target is troops in total.
The main idea was to move from the territorial defence organisation to more flexible manoeuvre warfare capabilities. As a result we started to build manoeuvrable forces (battalions and brigades). The main effort has been put on the interoperability requirements, especially when we entered PfP processes in Shortly after we started to contribute to the international efforts for security, in UN operations (and Alba for example) and others.
Probably the greatest milestone in this transition process was the decision to abolish the conscript system, taken in 2003.
To illustrate the change here is a graphical representation of the personnel dynamic in previous years.
25 JUN 91
2003
2004
2010 3

4. Changes in SAF Personnel Structure During Transition Process
To join NATO and EU were strategic goals of Slovenia since early 90’s. Slovenia joined Partnership for Peace program, adopted a Membership action plan in 1999 and started accession talks for NATO membership in Slovenia became full member of the EU and NATO in With the accession and integration of declared capabilities we carried on with professionalization and transformation of the SAF and also with integration into NATO and EU military structure.
Here are some current figures about the Slovenian Armed Forces personnel. There are three categories of personnel: active or peace-time, the contract reserve and the obligatory reserve.
At the end of 2008 the strength of the SAF was professionals, contract reserve and about obligatory reserve what mean altogether
At the moment our strength is professionals, contract reserve and we abolished about obligatory reserves. As you can see we are downgrading obligatory reserve, while we are trying to increase active part.. Personnel strength of the SAF in the future will not exceed members.
I would like also to point out that women represent approximately 15% of SAF members.

5. PARTICIPATION IN THE NATO AFFILIATION TO THE NATO
INTEGRATION PILLARS
NATO
DEFENCE PLANNING
DOCTRINE AND
STANDARDS
PARTICIPATION IN THE NATO
COMMAND STRUCTURE
AFFILIATION TO THE NATO
FORCE STRUCTURE
CAPABILITY BUILDING
IN LINE WITH THE FG
INTEROPERABILITY
PROCESS
CROs
PARTICIPATION IN
THE NRF
NATINADS AND
AIR POLICING
The symbolic chart shows the SAF portfolio on the road toward realistic & measurable criteria of the planned end-state
SVN has seen the following decisive processes in the overall integration to Alliance:
The state placement into the NATO system of decision making and supporting planning disciplines,
Implementation of NATO standards into SAF and Republic of Slovenia defence planning sistem,
SVN personnel Participation in the NCS and NFS,
National certification and NATO affirmation activities aligned and
Affiliation activities of SAF units to NFS structure
Solidarity and burden sharing means fulfilling the NATO obligations through participation in Nato led operations and the NRF.
The last but not the least we continue with the integration of the national air defence (AD) system into NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS)
INTEGRATION PROCESS 5

6. SAF INTEGRATION INTO NATO
ACO Phase 1
ACO Phase 2
FULL INTEGRATION
PRE ACCESSION
INTEGRATION
Enlargement Initiated P X A
JFC Phase 2A
JFC Phase 2B
Capability Review
INTEGRATION SUPPORT
INTEGRATION AFFIRMATION
Declaration
Capability Restructuring
Interoperability maintained and shortcomings resolved
NMN Certified Capabilities
Accession
The Integration process of SVN Armed Forces started even before its official accession to NATO. Based on JFCNP support, our national Integration Plan foreseen a several years long integration process with many phases and steps. We have reached the last steps and we are acting as a reliable partner. February signature formaly ends it. We are also aware that the final - interoperability status of our forces must be constantly updated (upgraded) and shortages resolved promptly. It is like never ending story.
Implementation of Allied Doctrines, standard, TTP, SOP.
Organization
Material
Language, personal integration in NCS, training, Creval Taceval, Mareval
At this point I have to mention that the support and experiences of NATO personnel, from all countries and also partner nations, have been fully utilized in the implementation of our integration plan activities.
But it is also important to notice the crutial requirement:
BE PROACTIVE!
Capability Affirmation
AIWG
Meetings

7. SAF INTEGRATION CONTINUATION
Formal Conclusion of SAF Accession and Integration Plan to NATO.
Affiliation Process into NATO Force Structure.
Exploitation of Integration into National Environment.
Single Set of Forces
Lessons Learned and Lessons Shared
SAF Integration Process, part II, it seems like a TV serial (Beautiful or Dynasty).
The end of the integration process, this notion of never ending story, continuous with the affiliation of the declared forces, securing tight links as a guarantee that this process is a continuing one, providing us with possibilities to exploit the best from the organization.
From our point of view NATO integration stimulates the process of building up capabilities and creates framework for activities that supports bought Nato and EU ambitions. Meaning: providing security to the whole of Euro Atlantic area. 7

8. TRANSFORMATION CONCEPT
Future tasks and ambitions require flexible structure and capabilities
New character and characteristics
Deployability – modular organization
“Single set of forces”
Use of the contract reserve
Technology
Combat functions
C2 (effectiveness, rational)
The key SAF transformation challenges we see as:
1. New strategic environment, threats, future tasks, ambitions and limited resources require flexible structure and capabilities.
2. and 3. SAF is mostly defence oriented but on the other side deployable and expeditionary one. Deployability requires modular and combined structure. Only with such structure and adjusted education and training programmes, we could achieve the sustainability of our capabilities in operations.
4. SINGLE SET OF FORCES is a fact. We had, have and will build up our capabilities on this principle.
5. As mentioned before we have changed obligatory reserve for voluntary reserve. We require that they are in an equal position as professional units which mean same standards, training, skills, equipment and also same tasks. Past year we deployed to CRO for the first time our voluntary reserve. We are studying the obtained lessons.
6. Advanced military technology becomes more and more important. We are trying to build up capabilities in order to use the advantage of such technology. The main aim is to have connectivity and to be interoperable in networked environment and to be able to conduct operations together with other allies. 8

9. FUTURE PLANS & CHALLENGES
Support to PfP Countries of the Western Balkans;
Support integration of new NATO members;
Strategic Defence Review Implementation as a
guidance for the Reform Process;
Transformation of force size and structure;
Prioritization of modernization;
Transformation versus survival.
Providing assistance to countries in Western Balkan specially to BiH, Serbia, Montenegro and FYROM (Macedonia) on their way to Euro Atlantic integrations remains our strong commitment. But not with recipes.
We are willing to provide all necessary support to the integration process of new NATO members in the Balkan Area (Croatia and Albania).
Past year Strategic Defence Sector Review brought up some short term key challenges (abolishment of obligatory reserve; reorganization and abolishment of Military District Command; reorganisation of territorial logistics in barracks; new SAF size and structure according to Governmental decisions; Reaching a required % of deployable forces and Reaching a required % of sustainable forces) and also long term challenges.
I would like to stress that the comprehensive approach to crisis management is a relevant factor. Political will is to embed the international community requirement to enter into national and military capability building this approach alongside with the whole of the government approach.
This brought us to the question what can we share.

10. LESSONS SHARED
Demanding process that requires active “all state players” involvement and support of broader society.
Need for “updated” national security strategic documents.
Political support, resources & legal framework for realistic, transparent but also flexible project plans implementation.
Complexity of projects (personnel, infrastructure, training, promotion, retention, leadership, acquisition,…).
Building appropriate organizational structure (GS vs. DS, C2, …).
Capability specialization and priority oriented approach.
Well define own needs and get credible support from strategic regional/global partners.
Political commitments play the main role in understanding what solidarity is when you receive or give security related services and products and to the security in broader and focused areas. Therefore the principle of unity of effort is crucial.
1. The national level of ambition defines declared forces that entered the process of integration. Membership of Nato and EU determines our national efforts. It has to be balanced with available resources and active participation of foreign policy on political commitments in the field of security and defence cooperation.
2. Declared forces. It seemed easy at the beginning but the implementation presented itself as an opportunity but as well as a challenge. Today we understand that for example, the Partnership for peace, PARP and Membership Action Plan processes forced us to understand how a Pol Mil and military strategic level is working and how to be able to take a proactive part in it. How a common security and defence policy is established, What is the role of our permanent missions to NATO, EU and others and what does it mean when consensus has to be build as fundamental principle of decision-making, affecting solidarity or equal burden sharing.
I can conclude that the sometimes painful implementation process has brought us knowledge and better understanding of on going processes, and greatly helped in becoming proficient and active partner in strategic processes.
3. Units have been declared but people are the most important factor on all levels. The whole chain has to perform what is needed to achieve success. Here I want to
emphasize Language and cultural impact. From a small nation and at the beginning we had foreseen the big brother (e.g. NATO) as something supernatural organization far above our national size. But guess what every voice count; every opinion and possible solution is validated between equal partners. That means bigger intellectual efforts. We make the Alliance and the alliance is not military only when we had to deal and be proactive in the field of PfP, Mediterranean dialogue and Istanbul initiative, SEEDM as our political masters conclude that we will collectively being doing. Security can not be divided anymore.
Currently we are working on affiliation processes. Follow on the integration processes we find out that this is ongoing process. You can count on one hand how many nations can take care of all security and defence related issues all the others have to cooperate. Everybody has to if you wont to declare VICTORY that is not measurable with military success any more. Capabilities have to work in joint and multinational structures if participating to crises management activities. They have to be interoperable, trained together and validated. This can be achieved in many ways with regional or bilaterally or multinational approach.
4. I would like to give you some examples how the Republic of Slovenia is doing. We’re taking a proactive approach with regional cooperation with MLF (Italy, Slovenia and Hungary + Croatia) for EU BG too.
Bilateral Affiliation of declared forces with Italy and multinational approach with NBC capability with Multinational Corps North East, We receive Air Coverage and integrated maritime picture, we receive or create together SEEDM history, Clearing house you already heard …
It is a strategic interest for Slovenia to increase and intensify cooperation in the frame of bilateral multilateral as well as regional cooperation. Slovenia committed itself for the proactive approach. It will continue to provide assistance, support as well as the Lessons Learned to partner countries in the area of defence reforms and other areas where there is the interest.
Through international offers of cooperation programs published in ePRIME, SAF offers programs of School of foreign languages and the Mountaineering school.
Other defence and military cooperation activities are conducted through Programs of bilateral cooperation in a shape of different courses, seminars, WS, meetings and other military as well as civil defence training activities.
The last but not least the intensive cooperation is also conducted through multilateral cooperation initiative programs.
Transformation versus survivor in current situation represents one of the most demanding challenges. How to build a high efficient and capable force with limited resources? Should we stop, take a breath and wait for better times or to proceed with smaller steps? As I said on the beginning transformation is a process, a motion and when you stop the process you stop this motion. Absence of motion means lethargy and your only thought is to survive. I sincerely wish you - US well in finding appropriate balance between keeping the motion on and fulfilling political demands.