Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence is a part of the Slovenian Armed Forces . It is an integral part of the command structure , not an independent branch . Duties . Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence aim is securing sovereignty of the air space of the Republic of Slovenia ( fighter aircraft for Air Policing are provided by NATO ( Italian Air Force ) ) and providing air support to other services in implementation of their tasks in joint operations . Its main tasks are : History of Slovenian air force . Slovenian contact with military aviation began during World War I , when the army and navy air services of Austria - Hungary conscripted large numbers of personnel from throughout the Empire . As the Empire began to collapse during 1918 , Slovenian aircrew and ground crew switched their allegiance to the newly independent Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes . Aircraft found on Slovenian territory were taken over by the Slovenian authorities and formed into a fledgling air arm . The new air arm was soon involved in the conflict with Austria over the border provinces of Carinthia and south Styria . Later in 1919 , the Slovenian air units were absorbed into the national Yugoslavia air force . In 1968 a reserve volunteer force , the Teritorialna Obramba ( Territorial Defence of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia ) , was established to defend local key locations in time of crisis . The Slovenian Territorial Defence HQ had a small auxiliary aviation unit stationed at Ljubljana - Polje airfield by 1969 , when Government Factories Type 522 advanced trainers were being operated . These aircraft were borrowed from the Yugoslav Air Force and not owned by Slovenia . Slovenian Territorial Defence ceased to be a part of the Yugoslavian auxiliary forces on 21 June 1991 , ( four days prior of the proclamation of independence ) , when the Yugoslav army seized 12 Soko J - 20 Kraguj aircraft from them . On 28 June 1991 a Yugoslav Air Force Gazelle defected to Slovenia , providing the first helicopter for the Territorial Defence Force . During the war it also was equipped with three ex - Police Bell 412s and an Agusta A - 109 . On 9 June 1992 the Air Force Unit of the Slovenian Army was renamed into 15 Brigada Vojaskega Letalstva . The 15 Brigada was divided into two squadrons , one fixed - wing and one helicopter squadron , flying from two bases , Brnik airport and Cerklje ob Krki . The 15 Brigada was under control of the 1 Air Force and Air Defence Force Command located at Kranj . On 2004 Slovenia entered NATO . Now NATO is responsible for protecting Slovenian airspace . On 8 November 2004 the 15 Brigada was officially disbanded . In its place three new units were formed . The 15 Air Force Brigade was restructured into the 15 Helicopter Battalion , the Air Force School , and the Air Force Base . The 15 Helicopter Battalion is located at the Brnik air base . The unit is equipped with eight Bell 412 helicopters and four AS - 532 Cougar helicopters . The units main duties are to organise training courses for pilots and technical staff , to organise search and rescue missions and operate within the System of Civil Protection , Help and Rescue , to secure cargo transportation to mountain areas , to extinguish fires , and to provide air support for SAF units . The Air Force Military School is located at the Cerklje ob Krki air base . The school conducts the basic and advance training programmes for future air force pilots in two Zlin 143L and eight Zlin 242L planes and four Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopters , organises practices for air force pilots , provides fire support , and carries out various tasks for other branches of the armed forces by using the two PC - 9 and nine PC - 9M planes . A part of the Air Force Military School is also the parachute squad , located at the Brnik air base , which organises basic and advanced parachute training for SAF members . The Air Force Base , located at the Cerklje ob Krki air base , carries out logistic support , such as fuel supply . The unit is equipped with two PC - 6 planes and one L - 410 plane . The Air Force Base unites the air supply squad and the technical support unit whose main tasks are to plan and conduct the second stage of aircraft maintenance , carry out technical personnel training , update aircraft documentation , etc . Although the airborne part of the SAF only exists for fifteen years , it has adapted itself constantly to the changing world . In this light another restructuring is due in 2007 when the Air Force School and the 15 Helicopter Battalion will be subordinated to a single command making logistics easier , and reduce staff . Following the decision to operate jet aircraft from 2015 again , major restructuring will take place at Cerklje . Due to new reorganization of the Slovenian Armed Forces , the Air Defense and Aviation Brigade will be reconstructed to the 15th Wing ( Military Aviation Regiment ) . The Wing will consist of 151st Rotary Wing Squadron , 152nd Fixed Wing Squadron , 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron , 16th Air Space Control and Surveillance Centre , 107th Air Base and Flight School . Air Defense elements will be moved to Ground Forces . Acquisition of new Aircraft . The Slovenian Ministry of Defense tested the EADS CASA C - 295 and the C - 27J Spartan in Cerklje AFB in 2007 . Two Casa C - 295 ' s were chosen with the first one to be delivered in 2008 and the second in 2010 . The first aircraft was ordered in January 2008 , but in February the aircraft order was frozen , because of the Mirosławiec air accident in Poland . Due to the financial crisis now there is no near term plan for acquisition of new transport aircraft . Incidents and Accidents . In 1993 a UTVA - 75 crashed in Slovenj Gradec . The plane was repaired . In 1994 a Let L - 410 Turbolet hit HT wires on landing in Brnik . It was later repaired . In 2004 a Pilatus PC - 9 crashed in Lenart , resulting in the death of maj . Drago Svetina . In 2008 a pilot candidate ejected from a Pilatus PC - 9 , the plane was not damaged and returned safely at Cerklje ob Krki Airbase . Conflicts . During the Slovenian War of Independence in 1991 the Slovenian Air Defence was very active and damaged or shot down six Helicopters of Yugoslav People ' s Army .