Czech Republic plans to procure two additional C-295s

The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced it intends to move forward with the procurement of an additional two C-295 tactical transport aircraft to bolster its existing fleet of four aircraft currently in service with the air forces of the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) since 2010.
“We would like to take delivery of the aircraft by 2020 or shortly thereafter,” Brigadier General Petr Hromek, the recently appointed commander of the ACR air forces, told media on 18 June.
Brig Gen Hromek said the two C-295s would replace two obsolete Russian-made Yakovlev Yak-40 jet airliners currently in service with the ACR and used in the VIP transport role, and are scheduled for retirement by 2020 when their airframes reach the end of their service lives.
Jiri Kominek janes

USAF F-22 Raptors will Train With Czech Gripens

The US wants its F-22 Raptor fighters, which its plans to deploy in Europe, to learn to cooperate with the supersonic fighters of the allies, not only with the most widespread Eurofighter Typhoons but also the Gripen fighters used by the Czechs, daily Lidové noviny (LN) writes today.
praguepost

Four USAF A-10 Land in Czech Republic for Military Exercise

The POP UP A-10 CAS military exercise, which runs through April 17, will take place without live ammunition in the area normally used for the training of air support in the vicinity of Trebic.
The U.S. planes landed in Namest at round 14:00. Training flights should start as of Thursday.
The Czech air force have long been developing cooperation with the United States in this field.
ceskenoviny

Czech Republic sell 15 of their L-159s to Iraq

The Czech government today approved the sale of 15 redundant L-159 combat planes to Iraq.
The ministry struck an agreement with Aero Vodochody on the supply to the Iraqi military at the end of last August. The firm will buy the aircraft from the military, and it will then resell them to Iraq.
This procedure is required by the respective law.
Aero Vodochody will ensure that the planes are operable and that they are fitted with further equipment and ammunition.
It will ensure the training of pilots and the ground stuff.
Out of the 15 aircraft to be sold have been grounded and four are actively used by the soldiers. Iraq will acquire 10 one-seaters, two two-seaters and three will be dismantled into spare parts.
Aero Vodochody will subsequently rebuild three one-seaters from the military's reserves into three two-seaters for the armed forces.
By the end of November 2017, the military would have 24 aircraft, including 16 one-seaters and eight two-seaters.
The Czech Republic has tried to sell the redundant L-159s for many years.
Last July, the Defense Ministry and Aero Vodochody signed a contract on the basis of which Aero would sell some redundant L-159s to the U.S. company Draken International.
praguepost

Czech Air Force takes over surveillance of Icelandic airspace

Five Czech Gripen fighter jets are flying to Iceland on Friday as the Czech Army prepares to take over surveillance of Icelandic airspace. Over the next nine weeks Czech aircraft and a contingent of 75 soldiers will be primarily responsible for Iceland’s air defence, the only NATO member state with no air force of its own.
Iceland, one of the founding members of NATO, is the only member state without an army. Its role in NATO revolves around its strategic position and the NATO airbases on its territory. Consequently its defence is in the hands of NATO allies. From 1951 to 2006 the country’s air defence was exclusively in the hands of the United States after which other NATO members accepted the responsibility in a rotating joint operation. For the first time ever the Czech air force will now have the task of patrolling Iceland’s airspace. The planned five week surveillance mission was recently extended to nine weeks at NATOs request.
radio.cz

Slovakian C-27J contract imminent

Slovakia's longstanding aim to buy new transport aircraft may soon come to fruition, with the Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) announcing it hopes to sign a contract to acquire two Alenia Aermacchi C-27J by 30 September.
Slovakian Defence Ministersaid that he hoped to "finalise [a] contract for the purchase of two Spartan aircraft. Our ambition is to complete the process by 30 September".
Slovakia has long sought to buy new tactical transport aircraft to replace its aging Antonov An-24 'Coke' and An-26 'Curl' transporters. However, despite the fatal crash of an An-24 in 2006 giving the purchase urgency and the downselect of the C-27J for the requirement in December 2008, budgetary issues had stalled the acquisition by 2009. Talks with Alenia were understood to have been resumed by Slovakia in 2012, and a MC-27J was present at SIAF 2014.
According to a Slovak MoD statement, the purchase still needs approval from the Slovak Security Council and the government. The MoD noted however that the deal was an approved part of the Slovak Air Force's long-term development plan.
Slovakia and the Czech Republic had at one point considered the joint-acquisition of tactical transport aircraft. However, while the Czech Republic selected the Airbus C295 in 2008, Slovakia decided that the C295's internal dimensions were too small to suit its needs.
janes

Czechs will accede to NATO request to protect Iceland for longer

The Defense Ministry has no problem complying with the NATO request to extend the autumn mission of Czech Jas-39 Gripen fighters in Iceland.
The government and the Chamber of Deputies,must approve the new mandate.
Iceland air policing this autumn by Czechs, was planned for three weeks, and it is intended to be extended at least twice, and probably longer.
The mission will possible double the costs.
The Czech fighters will supervise the security of Iceland, which does not have its own military, between September and December. Physically, the planes will only be on the island for about three weeks. The mandate approved in 2012 expects a maximum stay of five weeks. For the rest of the time, the Gripens would only fly to the northern Atlantic Ocean from the Czech Republic in case of danger.
In the Baltics, the aircraft of NATO states stay in the countries throughout the mission. Czech aircraft supervised the air spaces of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 2009 and 2012.
praguepost

Czech govt approves money for Gripen fighters lease until 2027

The Czech government approved the financing of Gripen fighters supersonic aircraft and it will provide funds, including withholding tax and VAT, for them in 2015-27.
The government decided to extend the lease of Gripen fighters by Sweden until 2027 in March.
According to the new lease contract, the aircraft will be upgraded.
The Defence Ministry says systems of the data transmission of information in the NATO format, systems of secret voice connection, night vision, and others will be obtained.
Further training of the Czech ground and flying personnel and the gaining of unnecessary ammunition are also counted with.
In Mardch the government approved an extension of the contract under which the Czech Republic is now leasing 14 Gripens, until 2027, with a two-year option.
The annual instalments are to be about one third lower compared with the current contract. The valid lease will expire in 2015.
ceskenoviny

Czech, Slovak Militaries Launch Joint Air Patrols, Eye Arms Procurement

Under an agreement signed by the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the countries’ air forces will launch joint air patrols in January. The initiative has been debated for years, but was recently accelerated by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
In addition to air patrols, increased cooperation between the Slovak and Czech militaries will also include special forces operations and military procurements.
Under the plan, the first joint procurements are to include radars and personal weapons for Czech and Slovak troops.
To increase its air combat capability, the Slovak Air Force is also planning to replace its MiG-29 fighter jets with new aircraft. According to senior defense officials, the most likely scenario is the acquisition of Saab JAS 39 Gripen also operated by the Czech Air Force.
defensenews

Czechs plan new light helicopter purchase

The Army of the Czech Republic announced plans to acquire up to 16 new light, multi-purpose helicopters between 2016 and 2020.
The new helicopters will primarily replace the country's Mil Mi-24/35 'Hind' combat support helicopters and PZL W-3 Sokol MEDEVAC/SAR helicopters.
The new light, multi-purpose helicopters will serve in the armed combat support; light troop transport and MEDEVAC/SAR roles according to Gen Pavel.
It hasn't been specified what specific platform is being sought by the ACR, but it was said that it would be in a class slightly smaller than the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
The ACR plans to retire its fleet of Russian Mil Mi-24/35 helicopters between 2016 and 2018, when some of the aircraft reach the end of their operational service life while the remainder would require costly mid-life upgrades (MLUs).
janes

Czech, Slovaks to connect their fighter squadrons

The Czech Republic and Slovakia will connect their fighter squadrons in a few months before Slovakia also acquires the Jas-39 Gripen fighters which the Czech military has decided to lease for another 12 years.
Both countries’ working groups are now finishing up details.
The Slovak air force has now eight Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters.
The Czech government recently approved the extension of the contract on the lease of 14 Swedish Jas-39 Gripen supersonic fighters until 2027.
Both countries airspaces will be partially interconnected and Czech Gripens or Slovak MiGs will be able to enter the other country’s airspace within cross-border operations.
Such situations may occur if Gripens accompany a plane that does not communicate with a ground controller. They will be allowed to pursue it as far as the Slovak-Ukrainian or Slovak-Hungarian borders.
Both Czech and Slovak fighter squadrons should be more closely interconnected after 2016 when the service contract on MiG-29s expires. Slovakia will probably buy or lease up to eight fighters from the West, while Gripens are favorites.
If the CzechRepublic and Slovakia had the same type of supersonic fighters, a joint squadron would be formed with one main and one minor air base.
The Czech and Slovak governments have planned meetings to debate a joint protection of the countries’ airspaces where a few agreements are to be signed.
A joint purchase of airport radars has long been considered.
praguepost

Czechs offer Gripens to protect airspace near Ukraine

The Czech Republic is prepared to provide Gripen fighters, to protect the airspace of the countries bordering on or near Ukraine if it is asked for help.
The participation of the Czech Republic in any massive NATO manoeuvres in reaction to Russian military activities in Ukraine is not being prepared.
If the Czech Republic is asked, it can send event its supersonic Gripen fighters to protect the airspace of its partner countries.
Information surfaced a few days ago saying the Czech military might participate in some larger military exercises with the United States, Poland and probably some other NATO member states.
The Czech Defence Ministry´s representatives are negotiating about a joint exercise with the United States and Poland but it is not planned in reaction to the Russian occupation of Crimea.
In the past, Czech pilots of Gripens helped protect the airspace of the three Baltic NATO member states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, repeatedly.
In the autumn, Czechs are to take part in a similar mission in the airspace of Iceland.
ceskenoviny

Czech govt approves extension of Swedish Gripen fighters lease

The Czech cabinet approved the extension of the Czech lease of 14 Swedish Gripen supersonic fighters until 2027 with a two-year option.
The annual instalments are to be one-third lower than now.
The aircraft will be modernised and that the new contract will embed more services for the Czech Republic increasing combat readiness.
The lease extension deal focuses on upgrading the Gripens' efficiency in attacking ground targets. It also includes the Czech Defence Ministry's requirements concerning the training of both the ground and flying personnel. Sweden is to train 25 Czech pilots and 90 technicians during the 12-year contract.
The Gripens will be equipped with night vision and will be able to communicate with allied planes within NATO.
This will enable their deployment in allied operations such as the former monitoring of the airspace over Libya, which Czech pilots could not join because the Gripens' systems were incompatible with those used by other allies.
ceskenoviny

Czech Republic might extend Gripen fighters lease for longer than 10 years

Prague is likely to extend the lease of the Swedish Gripen fighters for longer than the current ten-year period, and the draft contract includes the supersonic planes logistics and reckons with their gradual depreciation.
praguemonitor

Czech Air Force seeks to acquire two new transport aircraft

The Czech Republic Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to submit a concept of the transport and helicopter to the government for the air force with an aim to procure two bigger transport aircraft in late 2013, the country's defence minister Vlastimil Picek has revealed.
Speaking on Prima television, Picek said the concept is currently being completed by the ministry as the existing C-295 aircraft is able to address only a portion of the air force's transport requirements.

airforce-technology

Gripens train air-to-air refuelling from German tanker over Czech mountains

Five JAS-39 Gripen aircraft and six pilots have succesfully completed 80 refuelling contacts with German Airbus 310 MRTT tanker in training within ATARES Programme.

army.cz

Talks on Gripen fighters lease between Czech Republic, Sweden to resume

The negotiation on the continued lease of Swedish JAS-39 Gripen supersonic fighters used by the Czech military were resume on Friday.
nzweek

Sweden cuts price on Gripen lease to Czech

Sweden has decided to adhere to Czech demands for a lower price to lease 14 Gripens for a 10-year extension.
Tthe new price is now 14 billion crowns ($721 million). The previous offer was 15 billion crowns.

alert5

aviationweek

CASA plane's anti-missile system fails again

The protection system against guided missiles (DAS) of the four CASA transport planes that the Czech military bought has failed in the tests again.

The Czech military received the four CASAs in 2010. The DAS system was to fully operate in July 2011, under the original contract.


nosint

praguemonitor

El C-295M declarado operativo con la Fuerza Aérea Checa/ Czech CASAs operational

Cuatro aviones de tranpsorte Airbus Military C-295M han sido declarados operativos con la Fuerza Aérea Checa el pasado 22 de diciembre.
El C-295 sustituye en la Fuerza Aérea Checa al An-26, y sirve en el 242 escuadrón de Transporte, con base en Kbely. Está previsto su traslado a Afganistán en apoyo a ISAF.
key.Aero
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Four Airbus Military (CASA) C-295M transport aircraft with the Czech Air Force were declared operational on December 22 at a ceremony at 24 Air Transportation Base, Prague-Kbely.
C-295 is the replacement for ageing An-26 transport fleet.
The aircraft serve with 242 Transport & Special Squadron based at Kbely. The C-295Ms would serve for up to thirty years and will be used in ISAF missions in Afghanistan.
key.Aero