Czech Republic will buy 24 American fighter planes
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Prague (Uttam Hindu News): The Czech government has approved a plan to purchase 24 US F-35 fighter aircraft. The country’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday the state will pay 150 billion Czech crowns ($6.48 billion) for the jets. This makes it one of the most expensive purchases in the history of the Czech Republic. Currently, the country is leasing 14 Gripen jets from Sweden.
According to the report of Xinhua news agency, the Czech Republic expects the first F-35 aircraft to be available in 2029 and the last in 2035. On the other hand, some opposition political parties of the country are calling this purchase an excessive expenditure, while the representatives of the army say that it is necessary.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said, “The project will not harm other modernization projects of the Czech Republic’s military.” The minister said the move will have a positive impact on the domestic industry. On Wednesday, the Czech government approved a draft state budget for next year with a deficit of 252 billion Czech crowns. According to the ministry, the country’s defense savings amount to about 160 billion Czech crowns. For the first time in 2024, it will exceed 2 percent of GDP.
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