Czech Defence News of the Week (14th – 21st June 2019)

Caption: T-72M4CZ MBT

Minister of Defence informed the Government on public contracts with an estimated value of almost CZK 4 billion: acquisition of two CASA aircraft and upgrades for the T-72 tanks. – 77th anniversary of the final battle of Czechoslovak paratroopers after assassination of Reinhard Heydrich (operation Anthropoid). – Mali and Iraq foreign deployment veterans receive awards for their service.

• On Monday, 17^th June 2019, Minister of Defence Lubomír Metnar informed the Government on public contracts with an estimated value of almost CZK 4 billion (USD 177 million). According to the minister, purchase of two CASA transport aircraft from Airbus Defense and Space company, Spain, is the most cost-effective. The total cost of fully equipped aircraft will be CZK 2.7 billion (USD 119,3 million).

See also: Czech Army’s Modernization Projects: CASA C-295M and C-295W

• The second major contract is the technical upgrades for 33 T-72M4 CZ Main Battle Tanks. The tanks need replacement of obsolete or unrepairable systems and components which are no longer in production. The most important among these is the fire control system and the radio. The estimated value of the contract is CZK 908 million (USD 43,3 million). The contract with the state-owned company VOP CZ is to be concluded by the end of 2019 with the fulfillment in 2020-2023. Untill the acquisition of new Main Battle Tanks (which will not be done before 2026-2029 according to the Army), the upgraded T-72 tanks are to be able to answer all international obligations of the Czech Army. Subsequently, they will be used by the Active Reserve units.

See also: Czech Army’s Modernization Projects: T-72M4 CZ Main Battle Tank

• On 18^th June, in the Orthodox Church of Cyril and Methodius in Resslova Street, Minister of Defence Metnar and Deputy Chief of General Staff - Chief of Staff Major General Miroslav Hlaváč and other distnguished guests honoured the memory of seven Czechoslovak paratroopers who gave their lives here 77 years ago, a few weeks after the assassination of the architect of the Holocaust SS Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich. Their refuge in the church was discovered by the Gestapo due to betrayal by paratrooper Karel Čurda. They had no chance of escape and fought their last battle against overwhelming numbers of Gestapo officers, SS and Wehrmacht soldiers, resisting for several hours.

See also: Operation Anthropoid Commemorated

• On Friday 21^st June, soldiers of the Czech Army and members of the Czech Police, who returned from foreign operations in Mali and Iraq, assembled in the Ceremonial Hall of the National Memorial in Vítkov, Prague. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Defence Minister Antonín Rada, Deputy Chief of General Staff - Director of the Joint Operational Center of the MoD Major General Jiří Verner, First Deputy Police President Brigadier General Martin Vondrášek, family members of soldiers and other important guests. The soldiers of the 12^th Task Force of the Czech Army of the European Union Training Mission in Mali were awarded with the Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence, Honorable Medals of Merit, and Medals For Service Abroad. The policemen who were deployed within the Inherent Resolve operation in Iraq, where they trained the Iraqi police, were also rewarded for their service.

See also: Military Awards and Decorations