Czech Republic commits to F-35 jets despite Saab's 'free' Gripen lease offer
Looking at the Czech F-35 delivery timescale, extending the Gripen lease may still be needed to avoid a two-year capability gap. (Photo: USAF/US DoD)
The Czech government has approved a plan to buy 24 F-35 fighter jets, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said last week, announcing a deal valued at approximately $6.5 billion. This marks the largest defence contract ever signed by the Czech Republic.
Fiala said the first Lockheed Martin jets would arrive by 2031 and deliveries would be completed by 2035.
‘The first F-35s will be ready in 2029 and our pilots will start training with them in the United States then,’ Fiala said. He added that the fighters ‘will solve the future of our tactical air forces for dozens of years to come'.
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 1 free story per week
- Personalised news alerts
- Daily and weekly newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Air Warfare
-
Irish C295 MPAs fitted with Viasat SATCOM terminals
The terminals enable secure, reliable satellite connectivity and support a range of command, control and communication needs for the C295 aircraft, which have roles in maritime patrol, tactical transport, special operations and medical evacuation.
-
Lithuania orders three Airbus H145 helicopters for various roles
Lithuania has secured a deal with Airbus Helicopters for three H145M multi-mission aircraft for special forces operations and other roles, as part of the country's attempt to strengthen its defence capabilities.
-
UK P-8 Poseidons to get Sting Ray Mod 1 torpedoes
The UK MoD has confirmed the selection of the BAE Systems Sting Ray Mod 1 torpedo as the future torpedo capability for its P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) fleet, alongside the US Navy's Mk54 weapon.