A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft taxis at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, June 9, 2023, in preparation of Air Defender 23. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Anthony Plyler)
WASHINGTON — The US State Department today approved the potential sale to the Czech Republic of 24 Lockheed Martin-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, as well as a plethora of weapons, parts and equipment, in a deal worth up to $5.6 billion.
“The proposed sale will improve the Czech Republic’s defense capabilities as well as support NATO operations by guarding against modern threats and maintaining a constant presence in the region,” the State Department said in a statement, though it added a claim that the new fighters “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
The 24 fighters will be the Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) variety, better known as F-35As, like the kind flown primarily by the US Air Force. The Czech Republic made its F-35 ambitions known a year ago, when it announced it had chosen the American fifth-generation jet over the F-16 or the Saab-made Gripen fighter. The Czech air force currently flies Gripens.
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“Our decision to select this option is based on the analysis by the Czech Armed Forces, which clearly articulates that only the most advanced fifth generation fighters will be able to meet mission requirements in future battlefields,” Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová said at the time according to a news release.
Beyond the fighters themselves, the potential deal announced today includes a host of missiles, bombs, electronic warfare and radio capabilities, as well as “classified software” and software development. The purchase also includes 25 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines.
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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 agreement(s), if and when concluded.” It’s also possible, though unlikely, that the US Congress could object to the deal.
Assuming the sale goes through, the Czech Republic will join nine other foreign military buyers, in addition to seven foreign F-35 “partners” to the US in the program. Just a day before this announcement, the State Department also publicized its approval for the sale of small diameter bombs for use on Norwegian F-35s.
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