The Slovak Armed Forces have handed over the first batch of 21 upgraded infantry fighting vehicles, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 29 May.  

As reported by the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, on May 29, 2018 in the presence of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Peter Gaidos at the training ground in Lieskovac in Dubnice nad Vaag, the Slovak defense industrial company Konštrukta-Defense, has handed over the first 21 upgraded infantry fighting vehicles and combat reconnaissance vehicles, included 11 of these BPsVI versions for the ISTAR Battalion and ten other BVP-M versions.

The Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the vehicles were handed over to the ISTAR Battalion in Prešov and 10 to mechanised units.

Lt Gen Zmeko said the upgraded vehicles would increase the capabilities of the Slovak ISTAR Battalion, especially its reconnaissance company.

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The BPsVI and BVP-M are the modernization projects of BMP-1 and BMP-2 equipped with their Turra 30 remote weapons turret, which is armed with the 30 mm calibre 2A42 automatic cannon manufactured by ZTS Special, a 7.62 mm calibre PKTM machine gun, and two ready-for-launch 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).

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BPsVI is also equipped with a set of reconnaissance equipment, including a FLIR Ranger R20S ground reconnaissance radar, an undisclosed type electron-optical system (presumably manufactured by the Israeli Elbit Systems), a Laser Detection System System Detection and Indikacie Oziarenia (SDIO, based on the Elbit Systems receivers) , a reconnaissance mini UAV Micro Falcon, a system for detecting mines Schiebel Miniature Mine Detector (MIMID). The crew of the modernized reconnaissance vehicles is six people.