For 2021 there are payments allocated for already purchased vehicles and equipments, on the other hand, the Ministry of Defense plans to acquire new armaments, and even in that case, the costs will be spread over several years. The list offers an overview of the acquisition plan for next year, monitored not only due to the reduction/non-reduction of the defense budget by 10 billion Crowns, but also as a recapitulation of important events in this field in 2020.
The contract has already been concluded for 16 pieces of portable RBS-70NG anti-aircraft missile sets from SAAB, with which soldiers of the 25th anti-aircraft missile regiment are already training in Strakonice. In the budget of 2021, 597.5 million Crowns remain to be paid out of the total acquisition price of 1.148 billion. For their transport, the ministry buys 16 TATRA 8x8 vehicles for a total of 272 million Crowns, of which it plans to pay 152 in 2021.
The Ministry of Defense will pay another 294.7 million Crowns for the highly monitored acquisition of two passive DPET surveillance systems (VERA NG) this year, for which it has already paid ERA a.s. an unprecedentedly high advance of 455.3 million in spring 2020. Payments are spread over 2023 and will total the discussed amount of 1.508 billion.
See also: Passive radars, helicopters, tanks: A trio of controversial orders approved
The purchase of 40 S-LOV-CBRN I light armored vehicles and 40 vehicles in variant II from the Military Research Institute (VVÚ) for the 31st Regiment of the radiological, chemical and biological protection in Liberec also continues. In 2021 there will be an amount of 1.627 billion, in 2022 1.451 billion out of the total of 5.110 billion.
The T-72M4 CZ tanks are undergoing a technical improvement based on a contract signed with the VOP CZ in September 2020, thanks to which they should remain in service until 2033. In 2021, expenditures for this project are not planned; in total, the MoD will pay 1.099 billion for the modernization. The tanks are to be delivered back to service by the end of 2025, so that they can be deployed within a rearmed heavy-duty brigade task force, which the Czech Republic promissed to form by January 1, 2026.
Closely related to this is the most watched and largest Czech military acquisition project ever - the acquisition of 210 tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles in seven variants for mechanized battalions of the 7th Brigade. If the contract is signed by the middle of the year, ie shortly before the elections, the Ministry of Defense plans to spend 4.210 billion on this project in 2021. Like the above tanks, the IFVs are to be available by January 1, 2026, and the total cost should reach 51.684 billion.
See also: Another delay of the Czech IFV tender. Now COVID is the reason
In 2021 the Ministry will pay 25.4 million Crowns for seven LOV-Pz light armored reconnaissance vehicles from the Military Technical Institute (VTÚ) for the 13th Artillery Regiment, and another 152.3 million of the total price of 355.4 million in 2022.
And another monitored order is also heading to the 13th Artillery Regiment, which is 52 CAESAR self-propelled 155 mm guns with a total value of 5.951 billion. Negotiations are underway on the amount of advances that should be paid in 2021. In the draft budget, the ministry expects to spend 500 million. According to some reports, the French supplier is asking for an advance of 30% of the total price. The cannons are to be delivered by 2026.
A final decision will be made on the acquisition of four air defense batteries (SHORAD). The Ministry of Defense has chosen the Israeli SPYDER system from Rafael and IAE and expects a total of 10 billion Crowns and delivery by 2026. For 2021, the costs are not reserved in the budget and the first 800 million should be paid in 2022.
The Ministry of Defense reserved the amount of 263.4 million for the acquisition of a new artillery fire control system, which is to be delivered with accessories for a total of 909.7 million by 2025, based on the results of a competition organized by the Military Technical Institute. Five states will be addressed, resp. fire control system manufacturers from the following countries: Germany (ADLER), Denmark (THOR), Norway (ODIN), France (ATLAS) and Poland (TOPAZ).
See also: Artillery fire control system will be selected through competition - Minister Metnar revived hopes for transparency of selection and the best price-performance ratio
616.5 million Crowns are planned for 2021 for the purchase of wheeled armored vehicles TITUS from the Tatra Defense Vehicle company (6 command-staff, 36 communications vehicles, 20 as a place of coordination of artillery support and 6 staff workplaces). In total, it will be 6.071 billion by 2023.
A very important item is the next payment for the American Venom and Viper helicopters, in 2021 in the amount of 2.811 billion out of a total of 17.573 billion. The agreement with the US government was concluded in December 2019 and the helicopters should be available in 2023.
1.7 billion is set aside for next year to lease the JAS-39 C / D Gripen multi-purpose supersonic jets. The lease lasts until 2027 with a total cost of 19.324 billion, and the need to decide on the future of the Czech supersonic air force, or means to ensure the integrity of airspace is closing fast. The decision should be made by autumn 2021.
In the total amount mentioned and other projects for 2021 represent costs in the amount of 16 billion Crowns and a total of 136.2 billion. In total, the Army expects investments of 25.1 billion, 23.1 billion should go to current expenditures and 37.2 billion to mandatory expenditures. The ten missing billions as a result of the Government concession to the Communists, if they did not return to the MoD budget from the reserve, could have a fatal long-term impact on investment spending. There would be a risk of delays beyond those we "can" cause ourselves in the field of military acquisitions other than due to lack of funds. Instead of the desirable reduction in the internal debt that the Army has been dragging on for many years, this would increase.
Not only in view of the completely opposite situation in Hungary or Poland, or in neutral Sweden, whose governments are significantly increasing defense investment despite the difficult economic situation, there is no room for populism. When it gets bad, we will find out that we need the army no less than health care, which the army is intensively helping this year anyway.