Slovenia has a technical agreement with NATO on the protection of its air space or the implementation of the so-called "Air Policing" operations since 2007.

So far, Italian hunter jets have been performing the task, but Hungary offered to help with its Gripen fighters at a NATO conference in November 2011.

NATO accepted the offer and a technical agreement is expected to be signed this year, the Defence Ministry said. In line with the agreement, Italy and Hungary would take turns in air policing between 2015 and 2018.

The ministry pointed out that Italy had been performing its task impeccably and that Hungary's initiative was "a reflection of further commitment of NATO members to common security".

Since it joined NATO in 2004, Slovenia has been adhering in full to the recommendations of the alliance to leave air policing to NATO's integrated system of air defence and allocate the funds available for the purpose to international operations and missions and other NATO's priority activities.

The costs of the air policing operations are covered by the countries that contribute their capabilities, according to the ministry.