UPDATED 9/28/23 at 11:15 AM ET with comment from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).
WASHINGTON — The Czech government has approved a deal with the US government and Lockheed Martin to buy 24 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, the country’s defense ministry announced today.
The US State Department previously cleared the deal estimated to be worth up to $5.6 billion in June, though the Associated Press reported today that the Czech government would pay the US about $5 billion for the acquisition and spend another $1.5 billion on other associated projects like base upgrades. The defense ministry said it expects to have all its jets arrive by 2035, though the first jet delivery seems somewhat confused: the AP wrote 2031, but a Reuters piece put first arrival at 2029. (A request for clarification from Prague was not returned by publication.)
The Czech government’s approval is another step toward officially completing a deal, which often culminates in a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA). A spokesperson for the F-35 Joint Program Office did not immediately respond when asked about when an LOA might be finalized.
The Czech defense ministry’s release also seemed to confirm an industrial offset, which discusses the possibility of the country’s industry contributing to the F-35’s global supply chain.
“We are honored the Government of the Czech Republic chose to become part of the global F-35 Lightning II program, joining several European nations in further strengthening global airpower and 21st Century Security,” Lockheed Martin said in a statement.
“Our partnership with Czech industry will deliver benefits in research and development, manufacturing and sustainment. The F-35’s growing presence across Europe is a powerful example of alliance-based deterrence and is setting the foundation for NATO and allied nation’s next generation air power capability,” the company added.
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Czech officials announced last year they had selected the F-35 over its competition: Lockheed’s F-16V and Saab’s Gripen, which could either be older Gripen models or the newer E version. Since then, the government has defended its decision to pursue the fifth-generation fighter, listing reasons like the F-35A’s lower cost compared to the Gripen E.
The F-35s procured through the deal will replace 14 older Gripen jets currently leased by Prague. Though the Czech defense ministry’s announcement seemed to suggest that the jets’ lease would be extended to 2035, a spokesperson for the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) told Breaking Defense on Thursday that there is “an ongoing discussion about a possible extension” beyond the lease’s current end date of 2027.