Czech Military To Make New Acquisitions As Spending Rises

[Zarvan]

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Czech soldiers participate in the NATO Noble Jump military exercises of the VJTF forces on June 18, 2015, in Zagan, Poland.

WARSAW — Lt. Gen. Josef Becvar, the chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, has announced plans to acquire new armored personnel carriers (APCs), cannons, multi-purpose copters, radars, as well as personal weapons and gear for Czech troops, reports local news agency CTK.

"We will probably buy [new weapons and equipment] this year," Becvar said. The country's increased defense budget will allow finance new acquisitions for the Czech military, according to the general.

Becvar said that the purchases will include new personal weapons and other gear for Czech troops; during the past few years, there have been no available funds for such acquisitions.

Czech Minister of Defense Martin Stropnicky confirmed these plans, and said that the armed forces require an overhaul with new technologies, as they continue to increase activities on foreign missions and joint military drills with allies.

"Our funds are currently at a reasonable level," Stropnicky said.

The Visegrad Four group, consisting of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, has agreed to set up a joint European Union battlegroup, which is to be on stand-by in the first half of 2016. On April 23, defense ministers from the four countries adopted the Action Plan of the Visegrad Group Defense Cooperation, a strategic document which indicates that the V4 states aim to develop their defense capabilities in the fields of training and exercises, logistics support and special operations, among other areas.

Czech Military To Make New Acquisitions As Spending Rises