Czech Republic To Buy Thousands Of Assault Rifles, Armored Vehicles

The Czech military is aiming to buy thousands of new BREN assault rifles, Phantom pistols, one Iveco APC wheeled vehicle and 56 Tatra lorries to deploy within NATO and also to curb insurgency.

The Czech cabinet approved the decision Monday. According to the document submitted by the Defense Minister Martin Stropnický Czech plans to place 11 orders worth US $52 million with both private and state companies.

The new document is in line with the army's previous purchase plans with a new time priority regarding the ongoing migrant crisis. The ministry wants to cover the acquisitions from its budget.

“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 was quoted as saying by the Prague Post news daily Tuesday.

Czech will be buying 2600 CZ 805 BREN assault rifles, thousands of scopes and laser sights complementing the rifles, 800 grenade launchers and other related equipment.

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

The supply is to cost US $17.5 million 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.

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

Czech plans to invest hundreds of millions 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.