Prague, Dec 29 (CTK) – The Czech Defence Ministry will pay almost 800 million crowns more for a supply of 20 new Pandur armoured personnel carriers than originally planned, its spokesman Jan Pejsek told CTK on Thursday, citing an additional upgrading of technologies at the request of Prague.
The additionally planned better ballistic protection and technological and information systems inside the vehicles have raised their total price from 1.274 billion crowns to 2.069 billion, Pejsek said.
The government approved the purchase of six Pandurs designated for the military command’s use and 14 liaison Pandurs in summer 2015.
“During the subsequent negotiations about the contract, the Czech military modified its demands,” Pejsek said.
He said Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) wants to inform the government about the price increase. The government will discuss the change early next year.
“The supplies of the vehicles are scheduled for 2019 and 2020,” Pejsek said.
At present, the Czech military has 107 Pandurs.
The new contract has been signed with the Tatra Defence Vehicles, a part of Czechoslovak Group whose licence contract with General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr GmbH makes it the exclusive producer and seller of Pandur II 8×8 APCs in the Czech Republic and on selected markets of eastern Europe and Asia.
Next year, the Defence Ministry also wants to sign a contract for the purchase of 62 Titus vehicles worth 3.86 billion crowns, the supply of which would be expected in 2018-2023.
