The Czech Republic has followed recent decisions by Finland and Switzerland in opting to proceed with acquiring the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, having announced its selection of the type in July 2022.
The country will buy 24 F-35s, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on 27 September 2023, noting that “the first F-35s will be ready in 2029 and our pilots will start training with them in the United States then”.
Fiala added that the first F-35s would arrive in the Czech Republic in 2031 and that the Czech Air Force would have all 24 aircraft at its disposal by 2035. He said the F-35 acquisition is an effective solution because the benefits of the aircraft’s capabilities over its lifetime would be significantly higher compared to an alternative.
Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová stared that the total price for the 24 F-35s was CZK 150 Bn (EUR 6.16 Bn). “We will pay about CZK 106 Bn for the planes, ammunition, simulators, training and other items by 2034,” Černochová told reporters, with the rest of the cost covering infrastructure, fuel, personnel training and VAT.
According to Černochová, after 2034 the cost of F-35 operations will be about 3% of defence spending, ie about CZK 4.9 Bn per year, including fuel and ammunition.
In June 2022 Lockheed Martin decide to withdraw its bid with the F-16 Block 70/72 from the Czech fighter contest to concentrate on pitching the F-35. This essentially made the contest a two-horse race between the F-35A and the Saab Gripen. The Czech Air Force’s leasing of 12 single-seat Saab Gripen C fighters and two Gripen D twin-seat conversion trainers, which began in 2005, is due to expire in 2027. Saab was thus hoping to extend this deal with the lease or sale of next-generation Gripen E/Fs and is understood by ESD to have also offered free Gripen C/Ds to supplement any Gripen E/F purchase.
Lieutenant General Karel Řehka, the Czech Armed Forces’ Chief of the General Staff, stated that the F-35 “can perform a wider range of tasks than we have been able to do so far. Every single aircraft offers more variability, so there are savings in that we can use fewer aircraft and operations for the same type of tasks.”
Gen Řehka added that the F-35s are not only replacing the 14 Gripen C/Ds, but also 24 Aero L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft in the future. “We are reducing the number of types of aircraft, which leads to efficiency and savings,” added Gen Řehka.
In an official response to the news, Lockheed Martin stated, “We are honoured the government of the Czech Republic chose to become part of the global F-35 Lightning II programme, joining several European nations in further strengthening global airpower and 21st Century Security. Our partnership with Czech industry will deliver benefits in research and development, manufacturing and sustainment.
“The F-35’s growing presence across Europe is a powerful example of alliance-based deterrence and is setting the foundation for NATO and allied nations’ next-generation air power capability.”
Peter Felstead
