A mechanized company equiped with Pandur II wheeled infantry fighting vehicles has arrived to Lithuania and will stay in the country until January 2019 when the next rotation occurs. The NATO Force Integration Unit Latvia has been joined by a Czech mortar company in June.
Among the priorities announced by the Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Aleš Opata concerning the development of forces the formation of an airborne regiment based on the existing 43rd Airborne Battalion of the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade was mentioned.
On 27th June the Czech President Miloš Zeman appointed a new government coalition of ANO and ČSSD (socialists). The previous government of the Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) failed to win the vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, Andrej Babiš was named Prime Minister again, and will have his second chance on 11th July, …
Until 2020 the soldiers of the Strakonice air defence regiment which forms the core element of the Ground Air Defence Task Force are attached to the NATO Response Force headed by the German 9th Armoured Brigade. In 2019 they will join the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).