The Czech Republic is negotiating with Germany to receive 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks as a gift as compensation for Czech military support to Ukraine and is considering buying 15 more Leopard tanks of the new 2A8 modification from the Germans. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the Czech Ministry of Defense,, UNN reports.
If the current negotiations are successful, the Czech Republic will have 42 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and evacuation tanks on the same chassis.
Details
The Czechs have previously received 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany, and now plan to order about a dozen of the most modern 2A8 versions to be delivered in the coming years.
The ministry said that the additional 15 tanks will cost the country about a hundred million euros and will help improve the Czech Republic's defense capabilities as it transitions from the Soviet-era equipment it previously donated to Ukraine.
After 2030, the Czech army may have more than 100 Leopard tanks of two types in service and in reserve.
For reference
The Leopard tanks are produced jointly by the German companies Rheinmetall RHMG.DE and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The Czech government and the German government are negotiating a joint purchase of about 70 Leopard 2A8 tanks from these companies.
In addition to the 15 Leopard 2A4s already delivered, the Czech army still uses 30 modernized Soviet T-72M4CZ tanks and several unmodernized T-72s, but most of them are destined for Ukraine.
The publication added, citing a statement by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, that the Czech Republic was the first country to send heavy equipment to Ukraine in 2022 and has so far provided 62 T-72 tanks, as well as 131 infantry fighting vehicles, 16 air defense systems and six helicopters from the army reserve.