Czech Defence News of the Week (20th – 27th September 2019)

Author: www.army.cz, prap. Michal Belšán, rtn. Miroslav Kravec|Caption: 31st Regiment of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection

The program of the 19th NATO Days in Ostrava and the 10th Czech Air Force Days celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the 70th anniversary of the Alliance itself. - Czech company Ray Service, a leading manufacturer of wiring harnesses and electromechanical assemblies will produce components for UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters. - Brigadier General Milan Jakubů, Deputy Director of the Military Intelligence, died tragically. - Centenary of the founding of the Czech chemical troops was celebrated on 20th September 2019. - The international military exercise Ample Strike 2019 (AMSE19) is over. - Captain Petr David awarded with the Polish Star of Afghanistan medal.

• The program of the 19^th NATO Days in Ostrava and the 10^th Czech Air Force Days celebrated the 20^th anniversary of the Czech Republic's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the 70^th  anniversary of the Alliance itself. The largest security show in Europe was attended by over 200,000 visitors. While the land forces demonstration was dominated by static display of giant airplanes and ground vehicles from four foreign armies, the was air program was dominated by attractive show of three aerobatic aerobatic groups, and dynamic displays of the allied air forces. Romania was the special partner country this year; armed forces of 17 countries took part at the event.

See also: NATO Days 2019 - 220,000 visitors and 17 countries

• Czech company Ray Service, a leading manufacturer of wiring harnesses and electromechanical assemblies, made an important agreement during the NATO Days. It will allow the Czech production of components for UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters manufactured by Bell, which the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic has chosen for the modernization of the Czech attack/multipurpose helicopter force, as replacement of the aging Mi-24/35. By signing the memorandum, Ray Service will acquire new capabilities while engaging in the global supply chain of the major US aerospace manufacturer.

• On Saturday 21^st September, in a car accident near Špindlerův Mlýn, Brigadier General Milan Jakubů, Deputy Director of the Military Intelligence, died tragically. “Milan Jakubů has devoted his entire professional life to the security of our country and our citizens. It is a tragic irony of fate that his life ended in this way,” Brigadier General Jan Beroun, head of the Military Intelligence, said.

• In the Belgian city of Ypres, the German army underwent a chlorine wave attack in 1915, and this World War I event is considered the birth of weapons of mass destruction. In September 1919 the Czechoslovak army establishes the Department for Gas Service, which laid the foundation for the later development of chemical troops. The chemists of the Czech and Slovak armies commemorated the centenary of their founding on Friday 20^th September 2019 at the ceremonial parade of the 31^st  Regiment of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection in Liberec, Northern  Bohemia.

• The international military exercise Ample Strike 2019 (AMSE19) is over. Sixteen Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) teams trained directing the air support on enemy targets. Altogether, 342 successful actions were completed, with a total of 219 flight hours. Tasks in each scenario included direct clashes with the adversary, fighting in a built-up area, vehicle and foot patrols, and tasks in which high-priority targets had to be found and neutralized. For training, soldiers used the British commercial simulator originally developed for the British 1^st Artillery Brigade, whose two JTAC teams also participated in the Czech exercises. Air support provided a total of 23 aircraft. A new feature of this year's exercise was the American unmanned MQ-9 Reaper, which appeared in the Czech airspace on 4^th September 2019 for the first time. In addition to military equipment, the exercise was attended by a German civilian airplane Learjet, capable of simulating enemy airborne targets.

See also: Current Structure of the Czech Army - Combat Forces - 4th RDB (2019)

• Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded the Czech Captain Petr David with the Star of Afghanistan medal for excellent cooperation with the Polish contingent in the Resolute Support mission. In the past, two other Czech soldiers from the 42^nd Mechanized Battalion in Tábor were awarded this high honor.