On 24 May 2023, the Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that it had signed a contract for the manufacture and delivery of 246 CV90 MkIV tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) in seven different variants worth a total of CZK 59.7 Bn (EUR 2.49 Bn). The procurement will be handled as a government-to-government (G2G) deal with Sweden, and the first vehicles are to be delivered to the troops in 2026.
The announcement also stated that the Czech defence industry is to receive a 40% share in the contract. Last summer, the Czech government authorised the MoD to negotiate directly with the Swedish government on the purchase of CV90 IFVs. According to the Czech MoD, the vehicle was chosen because it is the only one that has been combat-proven, is used in several European countries and meets the requirements of the Czech armed forces. According to the MoD, the Czech Army originally asked for 210 IFVs, along with an option for 36 more systems, “But finally it was decided to buy all 246 infantry fighting vehicles directly,” the MoD stated.
“In the past, it has been shown that other equipment is sufficiently available. Moreover, prices for combat equipment are constantly rising due to the poor security situation, so we decided to immediately take advantage of the favourable Swedish offer, which maintains its original unit price” said Lubor Koudelka, main director of the Armament and Procurement Department at the Czech Ministry of Defence. The price was apparently also maintained thanks to a coordinated approach with Slovakia, which is also procuring CV90 MkIVs through a G2G deal with Sweden.
wg
