Foreword by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic As an independent state the Slovak Republic fulfils its functions in many areas. An important part of statehood is the ability of a state to secure its sovereignty, territorial integrity and, last but not least, the security and protection of its citizens. By joining NATO, undoubtedly the most important international security structure, we took upon ourselves the commitment to contribute to stability and security in the international environment but at the same time the commitment to maintain and develop capabilities ensuring our own security and the ability to defend ourselves. Many factors, which are currently undergoing fundamental changes, influence the character and the level to which tasks are fulfilled by the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. This fact calls for a re-evaluation of the basis and aims of military capability development of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic necessary for ensuring national defence. In 2013 a White Paper on Defence of the Slovak Republic was released, which defined the long-term development framework for the armed forces including proposals on how to insure its funding. Changes in external factors, especially the recent fundamental change of the security environment, as well as military and non-military threats and risks have led us to the re-evaluation of aims and means of achieving them. The aim of this White Paper on Defence of the Slovak Republic is to provide a politicostrategic framework for the long-term development of ensuring national defence, concentrating on the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, while maintaining the status of a trustworthy and equal partner enjoyed by Slovakia within the EU and NATO. The need to enhance the ability of the Slovak Republic to defend itself, an increase in the number of tasks for the Armed Forces and the fulfilment of international obligations require a higher standard of our military capabilities. Our Armed Forces will need to have not only an enhanced war-fighting potential, more effective combat support and combat service support, but also higher readiness – for both collective defence and crisis management. Part of the updated White Paper on Defence of the Slovak Republic is an Armed Forces development concept and a strategy of how to implement it by 2030. This concept lays out the force structure and the capabilities of the Armed Forces necessary to ensure the defence of the Slovak Republic, as well as to fulfil its international obligations. In my view the decisive criterion of the development of the Armed Forces is the modernisation of military hardware and the replacement of outdated equipment and other materiel of tactical units. In spite of the recently increased efforts to modernise the Armed Forces and enhance their training, it has not been possible to completely halt the declining trend of both the quality of capabilities and of the ability of the Armed Forces to perform tasks to the extent required. This state of affairs considerably effects the ability of the Armed Forces to perform tasks in the state of 8 WHITE PAPER ON DEFENCE