Sep 10, 2022

The Visit of the US Defense Secretary in Prague

Prague Morning

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visited the Czech Republic, September 9, where he met with Czech Minister of Defense Jana Cernochova, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and President Milos Zeman.

During the meetings, he discussed Czech Republic’s defense modernization work to enhance interoperability with NATO, opportunities for further defense cooperation, and the importance of continuing to provide support to Ukraine.

He began his trip to Prague on Friday with a visit to the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, where seven Czechoslovak paratroopers died in June 1942 in a gun battle with German troops after having assassinated high-ranking Nazi Reinhard Heydrich.

The Secretary applauded the Czech Republic for its leadership in Europe and in the NATO Alliance, for ratifying the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO, and for its extraordinary support to Ukraine as it defends against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war.

Ms. Černochová described the United States as Czechia’s most important ally. The two countries want to speed up negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement, with the next meeting scheduled to take place in two weeks’ time.

Secretary Austin also met with U.S. Marines at U.S. Embassy Prague and several U.S service members participating in the Czech Republic-led, multi-national exercise Ample Strike 22, and thanked them for their service.

US-donated helicopters May Arrive in the Czech Republic by end of 2023

The first military helicopters being donated by the United States to the Czech army may arrive in the Czech Republic by the end of 2023. The helicopters are currently located in Hawaii, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova told journalists on Friday.

Czech technicians are leaving for the USA now to find out what adjustments need to be made to the helicopters. The costs of their overhaul are therefore not clear for now, Cernochova said.

A couple of years ago, the Czech Republic ordered a supply of 12 Viper and Venom helicopters from the US, produced by Bell and worth CZK 14.6 billion.

Together with the donated ones, the Czech military will have 20 U.S.-made helicopters.

They will be used helicopters but still fully operational. “It will be a gift, we will only pay for repairs, for an overhaul according to our requirements, for their transport to the Czech Republic and other connected costs that cannot be accurately defined for now, but the sum is incomparably [lower] than the price of new helicopters would be,” said Cernochova.

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