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| CV90 armored fighting vehicle |
Militarymedia.net | The Czech government approved the Ministry of Defense's plan to acquire 246 CV90 armored fighting vehicles. This move is part of a massive military modernization effort undertaken amid Russia's war against Ukraine.
The Czech Defense Minister, Jana Cernochova, revealed that the deal to acquire infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by Sweden's BAE Systems Hagglunds AB has a value of US$2.7 billion. On Wednesday, the ministry he heads signed an agreement with the Swedish side. Cernochova stated that delivery of the first units of the CV90 is scheduled for 2026, while all of them will be delivered in 2030.
The Swedish Defense Minister, Pal Jonson, expressed confidence that the CV90 was the right choice for the Czech Republic. According to the BAE Systems Hagglunds website, there are currently 15 CV90 variants operating in seven countries, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
In addition, the Czech authorities also announced that they would enter into negotiations with the German government regarding the possible acquisition of German-made Leopard 2A8 tanks. Previously, the Czech military had used a modernized version of the Soviet-era T-72 tank and will receive 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany as compensation after delivering dozens of T-72 tanks to Ukraine.
Not only that, the Czechs have also negotiated with the United States to acquire 24 F-35 fighter jets. However, until now no agreement has been approved in this plan.
With these steps, the Czech Government seeks to increase the country's defense capability and maintain stability amidst changes in the complex geopolitical situation.
