Czech army has opted to preserve its main battle tank fleet with T-72M4 MBT

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Defense News - Czech Republic
 
 
Friday, August 12, 2011, 10:35 AM
 
Czech army has opted to preserve its main battle tank fleet with T-72M4 MBT.
The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) has opted to preserve its main battle tank (MBT) fleet within the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) despite massive budget cuts. (Source Janes)
     
The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) has opted to preserve its main battle tank (MBT) fleet within the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) despite massive budget cuts.
Czech Army main battle tank T-72M4
     

In early August the MoD decided to follow the recommendations of a defence White Paper released in April and retain and operate 30 modernised T-72M4 MBTs until the platforms reach the end of their service life in 2025.

As part of efforts to raise capital, the MoD will endeavour to sell more than 100 T-72 MBTs that are being held in storage and have not undergone modernisation.

"We do not want to lose our MBT capability," said Brigadier General Miroslav Zizka, first deputy chief of the ACR general staff.

The decision comes despite mounting political opposition and an opposing trend in neighbouring Slovakia, where the government in late July announced plans to mothball all MBT assets currently in use with the Slovak Army due to budget cutbacks.