Logistic support the NATO - lead mission in Kosovo

Slovenija se je v mirovne misije vključevala že v obdobju, ko je delovala znotraj partnerstva za mir, z vstopom v zavezništvo pa je to postala tudi njena obveznost. Prvi kontingenti so se logistično naslanjali v glavnem na vodilne države na območju delovanja, z večanjem svojih kontingentov, pa je bilo potrebno vse večjo pozornost posvečati tudi lastni logistični podpori enot na misijah. V letu 2007 je Slovenija prvič na izvajanje operacije poslala bataljonsko bojno skupino in prevzela svoj sektor delovanja, kar je zahtevalo dodatne logistične izzive in naloge. Ne glede na to se Slovenija v tem času ni odločila za vodenje lastne baze. Tudi v bodoče zaradi omejujočih virov, ki jih Slovenska vojska ima za izvajanje operacij v podporo miru, ni pričakovati odpiranje lastnih baz. Logistična zagotovitev bo zato še naprej ostala kombinacija med nacionalno logistiko in logistiko, ki jo bo na področju delovanja moč dobiti od drugih držav, in sicer od vodilne države v operaciji kot nacionalnega specialista za določeno logistično področje ali z naslanjanjem na mednarodne logistične enote. S tem kontingent sicer izgublja del svoje elastičnosti in samostojnosti, je pa tak način logistične zagotovitve v trenutnih pogojih manj zahteven in bolj ekonomičen. Glede na to, da je v prihodnje pričakovati tudi zmanjšanje slovenskega kontingenta na Kosovu, taka kombinacija ostaja najbolj optimalna rešitev logistične zagotovitve.Slovenia participated voluntarily in the peace support operations even before it became a full member of the NATO organization through the partnership for peace initiative. However, after becoming a full member in 2004, it became its obligation. In the beginning, Slovenian contingents relied totally on the logistic support of the lead nation in the operational area. But as the contingents became bigger and bigger, national logistic support had to be involved in the logistic support of the contingent, too. In the year 2007 Slovenian armed forces sent a battalion-size task force to Kosovo. The unit became responsible for its own designated area for the first time. That meant new logistic challenges and tasks. Slovenia, however, did not decide to lead its own military base at that time. Because of its limited resources for operations, it is most likely that it will remain the same in future. The logistic support of the Slovenian units abroad will remain a combination of the national logistic support from Slovenia through the national support element and all other ways of international logistic support, arranged through the international agreements with other countries in the area of operation. Slovenian contingent will be less flexible and independent, though at this time that option is less complicated and – in terms of economy - more acceptable. As we expect that the international and consequently the Slovenian presence in Kosovo will decrease in the following years, the chosen way of logistic support seems to be the optimal solution also in future