Czech Republic signs for Gripen fighter planes

[Snauman]

June 22, 2004
The Swedish Defence Material Administration signed an agreement with its equivalent department at the Czech Ministry of Defense, at a ceremony in Prague. The Czech Republic will lease 14 Gripen fighter aircraft (12 single-seat and 2 two-seat) of the latest version JAS 39 C/D Gripen for a period of ten years (2005-2015). The Czech Republic will be the first NATO-country to operate the fourth generation Gripen, to meet the country's national and NATO defense needs. The Czech Republic will receive the latest C and D versions of the Gripen aircraft.

These aircraft are the latest standard of the Gripen and are equipped with full color cockpits, air-to-air refueling probes, and are fully NATO-interoperable. The Gripen aircraft will be delivered to the Czech Republic during April-August 2005. The training will be done in Sweden with the Swedish Air Force who is responsible for the training program.

 

[Salman78]

After giving up pretty nice L-159's the czech's will have a handful of Grippens which they can barely afford.. duh!!

 

[gf0012-aust]

After giving up pretty nice L-159's the czech's will have a handful of Grippens which they can barely afford.. duh!!

You can't even begin to compare an albatross with a gripen. I assume that as a pilot you are cracking a joke about this?

 

[Salman78]

After giving up pretty nice L-159's the czech's will have a handful of Grippens which they can barely afford.. duh!!

You can't even begin to compare an albatross with a gripen. I assume that as a pilot you are cracking a joke about this?

I wasnt compairing anything. Ofcourse there is no comparision b/w albatross and grippen but czech's have no real threat from any surrounding country and the L-159's are brand new and quite modern planes. There was no real need to put them into storage or being sold. It was and will remain a pretty stupid decision to give up a brand new plane and "sign up" for a fighter which they can not afford. recent floods have caused them a lot of money and they have already reduced the original order.

so there was no comparision or joke and i am not a pilot.