The light armored vehicles (LAV) “Stryker”, which have become part of the Army of North Macedonia, were presented at the “NH Strasho Pindjur” barracks in Petrovec, in the presence of the Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Aleksandar Nikolovski, the Minister of Defense Vlado Misajlovski, the Chief of the Army General Staff, Major General Sashko Lafchiski, the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Nicole Varnes, as well as representatives from the Government, Parliament, Ministry of Defense, and the Army.
At the event, Prime Minister Mickoski emphasized that investments in defense and the Army are continuing, and that the armored vehicles “Stryker” will significantly strengthen the capacity of the Macedonian Army. “This means a lot to us, it improves operational capability and practically increases the mobility of the Army itself, making us more competitive compared to other armies. As a Government, we will continue to invest in our Macedonian Army in the future,” said Mickoski.
Minister Misajlovski stated that this is one of the largest projects of the Ministry of Defense and that the modernization of the Army is continuing at a strong pace, with more than 32% of the defense budget planned for modernization. He added that, thanks to excellent cooperation with the United States, some vehicles that were previously out of use have now been restored to service. He also emphasized that many more projects with the U.S. are forthcoming, including additional weaponry, equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles, and gear for special units, all aimed at building a modern and well-equipped Army.
In her address to the media, Nicole Varnes highlighted that the day is important for North Macedonia, for NATO, and for collective security. “With the arrival of the ‘Stryker’ vehicles, North Macedonia is taking a real and visible step toward modernizing its armed forces and strengthening its place within the NATO Alliance,” Varnes said, adding: “They are clear proof of our partnership and our shared commitment to defend our countries, the Alliance, and the values we stand for.”
With the procurement of the “Stryker” vehicles, the implementation of one of the key components within the “Light Armored Wheeled Vehicles” project continues. This project directly supports the fulfillment of obligations arising from NATO membership, with a particular focus on improving mobility, force protection, anti-armor capabilities, and the ability to conduct a wide range of operations in various spatial and temporal conditions.
