PRAGUE – The Czech Republic’s government on Wednesday approved a Defense Ministry plan to acquire two dozen U.S. F-35 fighter jets in a deal price round 150 billion Czech koruna ($6.5 billion).
Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that the F-35s “will solve the future of our tactical air forces for dozens of years to come.”
Fiala stated the acquisition for the Czech army sends “a message to our allies that we take the defense of our country seriously and that they can rely on us.”
The first of the 24 fighter jets will have to be delivered in 2031, with the remaining through 2035, Fiala stated. The American plane will change the 14 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden which can be lately utilized by the Czech military.
The Czechs can pay nearly $5 billion to the U.S. for the plane, coaching of pilots, ammunition and different prices, Defense Minister Jana Cernochova stated. The closing cash might be used to finance an improve of the Caslav air pressure base in central Czech Republic, gas and coaching of group of workers, Cernochova stated.
The leader of the overall group of workers, Lt. Gen. Karel Rehka, stated that the brand new jets would make sure “that in the case of need, we’ll manage to effectively defend ourselves against aggression, together with our allies.”
The ministry has been negotiating a care for the U.S. for roughly a yr amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Wednesday’s announcement got here after the government made up our minds in May to acquire 246 CV90 armored combat vehicles from Sweden as a part of a main modernization of the army amid Russia’s battle.