The current lease of 14 Gripens is due to expire in 2027, but under the new agreement 12 aircraft will remain in service until the arrival of fifth-generation F-35 fighters. The F-35s are expected to begin delivery to the Czech Republic in 2031 and achieve full operational capability by 2035.
According to the ministry, the Czech Republic will pay 6.012 billion Swedish kronor (16.695 billion Czech crowns including VAT at the June 2025 exchange rate) for the lease, servicing, and pilot training. The contract secures conditions around 25 percent more favourable than those offered in Sweden’s initial proposal last year.
“Po sérii jednání se zástupcům Ministerstva obrany podařilo domluvit oproti původní švédské nabídce z loňského roku významně výhodnější podmínky. Nalezení dohody je dobrá zpráva pro Českou republiku a pro zajištění její obranyschopnosti,” said Lubor Koudelka in June.
The contract also includes modernisation of the Gripens to ensure their continued operation until 2035, at a cost of 1.454 billion Swedish kronor (4.037 billion Czech crowns including VAT). The upgrades build on earlier modernisation efforts undertaken since 2015.
As part of the agreement, the fleet will be reduced from 14 to 12 aircraft, consisting of 10 single-seat and two dual-seat models. “I s nižším počtem strojů bude ochrana vzdušného prostoru České republiky zajištěna. Zároveň zajistíme bezproblémový výcvik pilotů a jejich přechod na novou platformu F-35,” said Major General Petr Čepelka, Commander of the Czech Air Force.
The reduction in aircraft numbers has been communicated to NATO, which will take the change into account in collective airspace defence planning. Defence officials stressed that while maintenance costs will increase due to the age of the aircraft, the negotiated offer aligns with contracts for the Swedish Air Force and other Gripen operators.
Gripens have been in service with the Czech Air Force since 2004. The Ministry of Defence noted that the decision to procure F-35s followed expert military recommendations and NATO assessments confirming that only a fifth-generation aircraft could meet future operational demands.
Source: Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.
