A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft taxis at Spangdahlem Air Force Base, Germany, June 9, 2023, in preparation for Air Defender 23. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. technician Anthony Plyler)
WASHINGTON – The US State Department today approved the potential sale to the Czech Republic of 24 F-35 fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin, as well as a large quantity of weapons, parts and equipment, in a deal worth up to $5.6 billion.
“The proposed sale will enhance the Czech Republic’s defense capabilities and support NATO operations by protecting against modern threats and maintaining a constant presence in the region,” the State Department said in a statement. . statementthough he added a claim that the new fighters “will not upset the basic military balance in the region.”
The 24 fighters will be the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variety, better known as the F-35A, as the type primarily flown by the US Air Force. The Czech Republic unveiled its F-35 ambitions a year ago, when it announced it had chosen the US fifth-generation jet over the F-16 or the Saab-made Gripen fighter. The Czech Air Force currently flies Gripens.
RELATED: Upgrading troubled electronics vital to F-35 in future fights, think tank says
“Our decision to select this option is based on the analysis of the Czech Armed Forces, which clearly articulates that only the most advanced fifth-generation fighters will be able to fulfill the mission requirements on future battlefields,” he said at that time the Czech Defense Minister, Jana Černochová. according to a press release.
Beyond the fighters themselves, the potential deal announced today includes a range of missile, bomb, electronic warfare and radio capabilities, as well as “classified software” and software development. The purchase also includes 25 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines.
RELATED: Lockheed backs new AETP engine for F-35
Today, the State Department noted that the final cost of the deal would likely be less than $5.6 billion “depending on final requirements, budget authority and signed sales agreements, if concluded.” It’s also possible, though unlikely, that the US Congress could veto the deal.
Assuming the sale goes through, the Czech Republic will join nine more foreign military buyers, in addition to seven foreign F-35 “partners” to the US in the program. Just one day before this announcement, the State Department also announced its approval for the sale of small diameter bombs for use in Norwegian F-35s.
recommended
