The Czech Republic extend the rental of Gripen fighters. They also plan to buy Marsa

On Wednesday, the Czech government decided to extend 12 gripen fighters from Sweden by 2035 and on buying 24 -wheel Mars armored vehicles with modern anti -aircraft systems in Sweden. Vehicles are created in cooperation with the Czech company SVOS.

The applicable leasing agreement on the JAS-29 Gripen fighter from 2004 ends in 2027, and the latest generation F-35 aircraft ordered in the United States will appear in the Czech Republic from 2031. The last machine is to appear in 2035, and formations are to obtain combat readiness by then.

The Swedes offered their machines much earlier. First, they hoped that the Czechs would decide to buy new machines from them, then they proposed an extension of the current leasing. According to the Czech Ministry of Defense, their original offer was 25 percent. higher than presented at the beginning of 2025 and accepted by the ministry and the Czech government.

The Czechs have rented 14 machines so far, now there will be 12, including 10 single -seater and two two -seater. NATO was informed about the future reduction of the number of aircraft, with the point that this fact will be included in planning the protection of common airspace. Czech grimens form duty couples for the protection of heaven over Slovakia, which does not yet have a working formation of F-16 aircraft. They also patrol the sky over Iceland.

The Mars armored vehicle agreement is to be signed within a few weeks. The chassis produced by the Czech company will be installed in the very short RBS 70 NG systems. Thus, anti -aircraft protection will obtain protection against enemy shells missing with previous machines. It will also gain mobility.

From Prague Piotr Górecki (PAP)

PTG/ Kar/