PRAGUE: Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has announced that the government has approved a plan to purchase 24 F-35 fighter jet from the US, Western media reported on Wednesday.
He said the decision was taken to boost the capabilities of Czech army and work more easily alongside NATO allies.
Vláda dnes rozhodla o pořízení 24 nadzvukových letounů F-35 pro české vojenské letectvo. Postupujeme tak na základě doporučení armády, které předchozí vláda správně zadala rozpracovat analýzu nejlepší varianty pro posílení vzdušných sil.
V porovnání schopností letounů a jejich… pic.twitter.com/UoRiG7lTyF
— Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) September 27, 2023
Fiala added the first aircraft would be delivered to Prague in 2029 and the rest by 2035. “It is an effective solution,” Fiala said.
Earlier Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said the country will pay US $6.47 billion by 2034 for the F-35 fighter jets. She said that out of this amount approximately US $1.9 would be spent on base upgrades along with fuel, staff training and taxes.
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In June this year the U.S. State Department allowed the sale of F-35 jets, munitions and related equipment to the Czech Republic.
The F-35s will replace 14 Swedish-made JAS-39 and 24 Czech-made L-159 jets.
The Czech government in July 2022 decided to start negotiations with the US to purchase 24 F-35 fighter jets for the country’s Air Force.
