Czechia approves purchase of F-35 fighter jets

The Czech government has approved the purchase of 24 F-35 fighter jets, adding to a growing group of European countries waiting for the advanced aircraft to be delivered.

The US State Department already greenlighted the sale.

“The first F-35s will be ready in 2039 when our pilots will start training in the United States,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) announced Wednesday.

“The F-35 system is a system that is becoming a new standard and is being acquired by most NATO member countries. We are betting on safety,” Fiala added.

Fiala also emphasised that the country wants to strengthen its ties with NATO allies.

“By taking this step, we are telling our allies that we take the defence of our country seriously and that they can count on us,” he said.

In Europe, F-35s are operated by Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Countries like Belgium, Finland, Germany and Poland have already ordered jets. Lockheed Martin, the US company that manufactures the aircraft, expects Europe to have about 500 F-35s by the decade’s end.

For the Czech Republic, it will be the country’s most expensive military purchase in modern history, as it is expected to spend €6 billion. This amount includes all the costs of preparing for operations in the Czech Republic, including personnel training, infrastructure and ammunition.

While the first jets will be ready in 2029, all 24 aircraft will be delivered to the Czech Republic by 2035. In addition to the F-35 purchase, the country has negotiated 14 industrial cooperation projects with the US.

The US fighters will replace the Swedish Gripen fighters that the Czech Republic currently leases.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)