Airforce Technology

Czech MoD agrees to extend Gripen fighter jet lease with Sweden

The Gripen jets will remain operational until 2035, at which point they are set to be succeeded by F-35 aircraft.

The Czech Republic Ministry of Defence (MoD) has given its consent to the Swedish proposal to extend the lease of its Saab JAS-39 Gripen multirole fighter aircraft fleet.

The agreement, which extends the contract until 2035, received backing from the Minister of Defence's Collegium. The proposed agreement is set to be submitted to the government for approval.

The decision to decrease the fleet size from 14 to 12 aircraft, with ten single-seater and two two-seater jets, will result in substantial financial savings while ensuring the country’s airspace protection, said the ministry.

Through rigorous negotiations, the MoD said it secured a deal that is roughly 25% more cost-effective than the previous offer.

The ministry said that Nato has been notified about the impending reduction in aircraft numbers, with the expectation that this change will be factored into future plans for safeguarding shared airspace.

Czech Air Force commander major general Petr Čepelka said: "Even with a lower number of aircraft, the protection of the airspace of the Czech Republic will be ensured. At the same time, we will ensure smooth training of pilots and their transition to the new F-35 platform."

As per the definitive offer, the Czech Republic will expend Skr6.012bn ($626.87m) for leasing 12 Gripens, along with costs for their maintenance and pilot training programmes, which amounts to Kč16.695bn ($764.63m) inclusive of VAT.

The existing lease for the Gripens is set to expire in 2027, with the Czech Republic scheduled to start receiving the notably more advanced F-35 jets in 2031.

The F-35s are expected to achieve full operational capacity by 2035, coinciding with the conclusion of the Gripen lease period.

The MoD also noted that modernisation of the Gripens was also reached along with the aircraft lease, thus eliminating any requirement for separate approval processes in the future. The costs will be Skr1.454bn.

Since 2015, modernisation efforts have been underway. The aircraft are currently in their third decade of operation and require high maintenance, said the MoD.