The Czech Republic has signed a Joint Declaration with Sweden to extend its lease of 14 JAS 39 Gripen combat aircraft beyond 2027.
Two double-seated and 12 single-seated units were delivered to Prague on the 31 August 2005; the fleet is stationed at Čáslav Air Base.
As well as the lease renewal, the defence cooperation agreement includes joint training activities with the Swedish-made CV90 infantry fighting vehicle, which the republic seeks to purchase in a joint effort with neighbouring Slovakia.
According to a statement from the Swedish Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson, on 31 August 2024, “the defence cooperation between Sweden and the Czech Republic will further increase to the benefit of both parties.”
As a former eastern-bloc nation, the Czech Republic is undergoing a transformational programme to shed its Soviet-era inventory – such as the Army’s BVP vehicles, 200 of which were donated to Ukraine – for more modern equipment and platforms.
Ultimately, the Gripen aircraft were always intended to be an interim solution as the Czech Air Force explore their options for a major longer-term fighter procurement. In July 2022, the longstanding frontrunner in the competition – Lockheed Martin’s F-35A multi-role stealth fighter – was confirmed as the Czech Republic's choice.
The F-35 sale was approved by the US State Department in June 2023 and approved by the Czech Parliament three months later. The 24 planned units will be a step up in overall force numbers, necessitating expansion of Air Force personnel.
These first F-35As are expected to arrive in 2031 while deliveries conclude in 2035. It is doubtless that the Gripen renewal will play out until such a time that they may be replaced by the F-35A fleet on a more permanent basis. Contrary to any sense of defence expansion, the lease renewal serves to extend the interim period.
Nevertheless, the Gripen fleet in the Czech Air Force play a crucial role for the country and Nato more widely. The service recently hosted exercise Lion Effort from Čáslav Air Base in May this year. There, 150 air force personnel from Hungary, Sweden, Thailand and Brazil conducted flying manoeuvres with more than 20 aircraft including Gripen.
This was the second time the Gripen operator hosted the triennial rotating pattern after its first time in 2015.
