In Prague, the Czech Ministry of Defense has approved Sweden’s offer to extend the leasing contract of 12 JAS-39 Gripen fighters for 16.7 billion Czech crowns, equivalent to about 660 million euros.
The proposal, which includes maintenance and pilot training by Saab and the Swedish Air Force, is now awaiting government approval.
The Czech Republic currently rents 14 Gripens at an annual cost of about 1.7 billion Czech crowns; the current leasing contract will expire in 2027.
During the twenty-year employment, the JAS-39 Gripens have been updated to the MS20 standard which enables the Gripen C/Ds to employ advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface ammunition, in addition to eliminating the obsolences that have matured in the meantime.
The update includes hardware changes and new software both in the aircraft and in the support systems.
The contract extension will allow the Czech Air Force to keep the Gripen C/Ds in service until 2035, when they are expected to be fully replaced by 24 F-35s of American manufacture, the initial deliveries of which are expected in 2031.
Photo credit @Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic
