Czech Armed Forces plan to quickly purchase new armament and military equipment 22010153

Defence & Security News - Czech Republic
 
Czech Armed Forces plan to quickly purchase new armament and military equipment
The Czech military wants to quickly purchase thousands of new assault rifles, pistols and other equipment in case it is urgently deployed within NATO or to protect the border against the migrant wave, according to a document the Czech governemental Cabinet approved yesterday, Oct. 19, 2015.
     
Czech Armed Forces plan to quickly purchase new armament and military equipment 640 001Czech military wants to quickly purchase new assault rifles and other military equipment if it is urgently deployed within NATO or to protect border against the migrant wave
     
CTK has been informed about the decision by the Czech Defense Ministry's spokesman Petr Medek. The document, submitted by the Defense Minister Martin Stropnický, plans to place the relevant 11 orders worth USD52 mn with Czech private and state companies.

The plan outlines the purchase of the materiel the army decided to buy previously, but with a new time priority regarding the ongoing migrant crisis, the document says. The ministry wants to cover the acquisitions from its budget.

To place the orders, it wants to apply an opt-out enabling it not to follow the public procurement law.

We have been motivated by the permanently worsening security situation in the world, which poses a real threat to the security interests of the Czech Republic and Czech citizens. After assessing all current risks and threats, the ministry had to react to the situation effectively and adequately,” Stropnický said.

The largest among the planned purchases is that of 2,600 CZ 805 BREN assault rifles, the Czech-made gun the military has used since 2011.

The ministry also plans to buy several thousands of scopes and laser sights complementing the rifles, and also 800 grenade launchers and other equipment related to them.

The supply is to cost USD17.5 mn crowns not including VAT. The goal is to primarily secure the armament of the ground and air forces but also the military's active reserves with a modern and effective hand weapon, the ministry wrote, adding that the soldiers would mainly use the observation devices in case of their deployment together with the police.

A few weeks ago, the Czech police and the military held an exercise aimed to train the joint protection of the state border.

The ministry also plans to buy 5,500 CZ 75 SP-01 PHANTOM pistols worth USD2.5 mn, overhaul its five monitoring and reconnaissance systems LOS and Snežka, and modernize its systems for electronic attacks prevention, worth USD6.28 mn altogether.

Further hundreds of millions are to be invested in the purchase of wheeled vehicles, including one Iveco APC and 56 Tatra lorries.

In the area of logistics, the ministry plans to buy 33 multifunctional tents, five energy distribution systems and 14 mobile energy generators. 

(Source: The Prague Post)