Facing a delivery timeline for the F-35A fighters that will be completed in the middle of the next decade, the Czech Republic is negotiating with Sweden to extend the lease of the Gripen fighters currently operated by its Air Force, a fleet composed of fourteen aircraft. According to recent reports, the offer presented by Swedish company Saab proposes extending the lease of these aircraft from 2027 to 2035, allowing Prague to avoid a capability gap until the arrival of the U.S.-made fighters.

It is worth noting that the possibility of the Czech Republic keeping the Gripen platforms on lease has been under discussion for nearly two years, with previous offers failing to convince the Czech Air Force leadership in terms of cost-effectiveness and operational value. However, a recent offer amounting to $732 million for the lease of twelve out of the fourteen aircraft appears to have broken that deadlock—specifically, two two-seat variants and ten single-seat variants. The Commander of the Czech Air Force, Major General Petr Čepelka, has already commented on the matter, although there has yet to be an official confirmation from the Czech Ministry of Defence.

Among the notable statements on the matter, those made by Lubor Koudelka, Senior Director of the Armament and Acquisitions Section, stand out: “We have reached a significantly more advantageous variant for the Czech Republic. Compared to the original offer, we negotiated a discount of approximately 25%.” It should also be noted that a significant portion of the agreed sum will be allocated to the maintenance of the aircraft, and the value was negotiated in a way that avoids potential cost overruns requiring future contract renegotiations.

It is important to recall that the Gripen fighters were first delivered to the Czech Republic in 2004, when the decision was made to replace the aging Soviet-era MiG-21s with more modern Western aircraft. At that time, a ten-year lease agreement was signed, investing the equivalent of $867 million (at today’s exchange rate) for the aforementioned fourteen aircraft. The agreement was later extended until 2027, with the fighters stationed at the 21st Tactical Air Base in Čáslav.

Finally, regarding the Czech Republic’s acquisition of F-35A fighters, the agreement was officially confirmed in 2023 with approval from the United States. It involves a batch of 24 fifth-generation aircraft that will undoubtedly represent a significant leap in capabilities for the Czech Air Force, with the first unit expected to arrive in 2031. Financially, this translates to an investment of approximately USD 5.5 billion, which also includes several weapon packages featuring AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, GBU-53/B (SDB-II) bombs, and other systems.

Images used for illustrative purposes only.

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