Czech Military To Buy MRAP Vehicles

The Czech Defence Ministry plans to buy 30 new armoured vehicles that will be resistant to ground mines. The military wants to buy command and liaison types of the MRAP vehicles. They will be used by Czech units operating abroad. The ministry has already addressed a few potential suppliers, according to media reports. "We expect the vehicles to be acquired in 2014-2017," General Staff spokeswoman Jana Ruzickova was quoted as saying. "The planned purchase of vehicles is not connected with the Afghan mission. Its goal is the achievement of the [Czech] ground forces' planned operational capabilities," Ruzickova is quoted added. Purchases of equipment for the Czech military have been accompanied by controversies in the past years. The purchase of the Pandur armoured personnel vehicles (APC) has been investigated on suspicion of corruption. Problems accompanied the previous purchases of Dingo and Iveco APCs as well.