Czech Republic Will Purchase Israeli-Made Air Defenses to Replace Soviet Gear

PRAGUE (Sputnik) - The Czech Republic will buy Israeli-made SPYDER surface-to-air missile systems for 13.7 billion korunas ($630 million) to replace Soviet-era systems in its possession, Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar said on Monday.

The ministry expects to use the new air defense system "for 20 years or more."

"I appreciate the willingness of the Israeli government to share with us a state-of-the-art defense system that will move our military toward 21st century capabilities. Finally, we will get rid of our dependence on Soviet Kub systems from the 1970s, which do not meet current requirements," Metnar said, as quoted by his ministry.

The Czech-Israeli intergovernmental negotiations on the procurement of SPYDER systems started in November 2020.

SPYDER short-range air defense systems are designed to protect cities, nuclear power plants, airports, large industrial centers and other strategically important sites by detecting and destroying aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and cruise missiles.