US Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs from the 356th Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base fly side by side with Republic of Korea Air Force F-35s from the 151st and 152nd Combat Flight Squadrons as part of a bilateral exercise over the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea, July 12, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Trevor Gordnier)
WASHINGTON — The Czech Republic today inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the US to purchase 24 F-35 fifth generation fighters, in what the Czech government called the “most important project in the history of the Czech Armed Forces.”
“This government-to-government agreement brings our country and its Armed forces into a whole new era, in which not only our servicemembers but also modern equipment rank us into the first league of European NATO Allies. As a matter of fact, fifth-generation aircraft are a backbone fighters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Moreover, their procurement will significantly increase combat readiness of the Czech Armed Forces,” Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said at a signing ceremony, according to the Czech Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces.
Months ago the US State Department approved the potential sale of 24 aircraft and a host of associated equipment, valued at $5.6 billion at the time. The MoU and an official Letter of Acceptance were signed today in Prague after weeks of discussion about protocol that apparently factored in the secretive hospital stay of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Czech statement said.
“We are pleased the government of Czech Republic is now officially a part of the F-35 Lightning II program of record,” US Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer, F-35 Joint Program Office, said in a Lockheed Martin statement. “This partnership with the Czech Ministry of Defense will deliver and sustain the F-35 aircraft for decades, while providing the Czech Air Force with unmatched interoperability and ensuring it has the capability to counter current and future threats.”
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With the signing, the Czech Republic will become the 18th nation in the global F-35 program. Aircraft are currently flying out of 32 bases worldwide, according to Lockheed Martin.
It will be a while before any are flying out of Czech hangers, however, as the first aircraft is not scheduled to be delivered until 2031 and won’t reach full operational capability until 2035. Until then, the Czech military will continue to fly Swedish-made Gripen fighters. The Czech defense ministry said there are “intensive negotiations underway with the Kingdom of Sweden on the operation of the Gripens in the given timeframe.”
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