Prague, Dec 6 (CTK) – The Czech Defence Ministry has agreed with Israel on a supply of MADR radars worth 3.5 billion crowns to the Czech military, and the purchase contract is to be signed by the ministry’s leadership under the new minister to be appointed next week, Martin Stropnicky (ANO) said on Wednesday.
Stropnicky, the outgoing defence minister, was talking to members of the lower house security committee.
He said as a minister in resignation, he would not sign important contracts worth billions of crowns.
In the new minority government of ANO, Stropnicky will be foreign minister. The post of defence minister will go to Karla Slechtova.
The Czech military is to get eight MADR 3D radars from Israel, which are to replace its outdated Soviet-made radars and enable the military’s control of airspace at the altitude from 100 to 3,000 metres.
The radars are made by the Israeli state company Elta Systems, which produces the Iron Dome system that is capable of not only detecting a missile attack but also assessing the place of impact and liquidate the missile if it threatened to hit a populated area.
The ELM 2084 Multi-Mission-Radar bought by the Czechs is a part of the system.
Its supply includes the suppliers’ logistic support for a 20-year period.
The Czech-based Retia company will assist in the order. It previously said that 30 percent of the radar will be produced in the Czech Republic.
The Czech military should gradually receive the radars by 2021.
Deputy Defence Minister Daniel Kostoval informed the lawmakers on further planned defence acquisitions.
He said the ministry is negotiating with the supplier about the price of a supply of 62 TITUS APCs on a Tatra chassis.
According to previous information, the price is to reach about 4.8 billion crowns.
Kostoval said the contract might be signed in early 2018, depending on the accommodating approach by the supplier, the Tatra Export company.
The ministry also plans to buy multipurpose helicopters, choosing between the bids of the U.S. and the Italian governments, which offer the UH-1Y helicopter made by the U.S. Bell company, and the AgustaWestland AW139M, made by the Leonardo company, respectively.
