TSAMTO, July 25. During a two-day visit to the Czech Republic, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius discussed with Czech Defense Minister Yana Chernokhova issues of current and future cooperation in the defense sector, the country's Defense Ministry reported.
Cooperation between the two countries has intensified in recent months in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. Czech and German units are deployed together as part of NATO multinational combat groups in Lithuania and Slovakia. Berlin intends to continue strengthening its presence on the eastern flank of NATO.
Within the framework of bilateral relations, in addition to the gratuitous transfer of 15 Leopard-2A4 tanks to the Czech Ministry of Defense, which will be delivered by the end of this year, the Czech Government instructed the Minister of Defense to negotiate the possibility of Czech Republic purchasing Leopard-2A8 tanks in Germany. Earlier, the German side had already agreed to the Czech Republic's accession to the framework agreement for the purchase of the Leopard-2A8 MBT.
The Czech Republic is considering the possibility of purchasing up to 77 tanks of this type. The cost of the acquisition will also depend on how many other countries eventually join the Leopard-2A8 agreement.
Thus, the Czech Republic joins Germany, which intends to replace the Leopard-2A6 main battle tank with a new version of the Leopard-2A8. The German Ministry of Defense will become the main customer of the new tank, and will also act as an intermediary in negotiations with the manufacturer, KMW, on behalf of all participating states, including the Czech Republic. According to Berlin, this procedure should significantly simplify administration and speed up the procurement process.
One of the advantages of the joint acquisition is the unified configuration of the tank, which will ensure stable serial production and, consequently, lower cost. It is assumed that the tanks will differ only in means of communication, color and national markings.
According to Czech Defense Minister Ya.Chernokhova, the main goal of the project is to ensure the full combat capability of the heavy brigade of the Armed Forces of the country in accordance with NATO standards. It is expected that the signing of the contract can take place by mid-2024, and the first tanks can be delivered in 2027.
As in the case of other procurement projects, Prague seeks to involve national industry enterprises in the implementation of the contract.
During the meeting, the ministers also discussed the issue of assistance to Ukraine. Berlin has already sent Ukraine, among other things, howitzers, multiple rocket launchers, Leopard-2A6 MBT, infantry fighting vehicles and Patriot air defense systems. On the eve of the recent NATO summit in Vilnius, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised another 2.7 billion military aid package. euro, which will include 30 Leopard-1A5 tanks. At the summit, additional assistance in the amount of 700 million euros was announced, including, among other things, two more Patriot systems and 25 Leopard-1A5 tanks.
The Czech Republic is also one of the main donors and suppliers of military aid to Ukraine. In the last six months alone, 24 tanks, 17 infantry fighting vehicles and 645 anti-tank guided missiles have been sent to the country. Last year, the Ministry of Defense handed over 38 tanks, 55 infantry fighting vehicles, four units of aviation equipment and 13 self-propelled howitzers.
