WARSAW - The Czech Defense Ministry has laid out its plans to launch several modernization tenders over the course of 2015 that will cost an estimated CZK10.5 billion ($425 million). The tenders include competitions for the purchase of new helicopters, armored vehicles and radars. Some of these were in the planning stages last year, with Russia's destabilization efforts in Ukraine prompting immediate soul-searching amongst the newer NATO members of Central and Eastern Europe. These countries, formally under the grip of the Soviet Union during the Cold War communist-era, recognized the need to weed out aging Warsaw Pact/Russian-legacy hardware in favor of Western equipment that could be supplied and supported by vendors from allied nations.
The Czech Republic, with a skeleton-like military starved for funding, was among the former Warsaw Pact members recognizing the need to bolster their own security by improving their military capabilities and acquiring equipment that does not require upgrades and maintenance in Russian factories.
According to Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky, competitive pricing will be the principal consideration behind any new equipment purchase. Support for local industry will be of secondary importance. This is just as well with last year's Czech defense budget equaling just 1.08 percent of annual GDP.
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