Czech Republic and Germany strengthen defense ties with new Leopard 2A4 and 2A8 tank deals.

On February 22, 2024, Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová announced that Prague is in talks to acquire 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks offered by Germany, in recognition of Czech military support to Ukraine, with an option to purchase an additional 15 units as well as three Bergepanzer BPz3 "Buffalo" AR vehicles directly from the German defense industry.
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Czech Republic Leopard 2A4 tanks offered by Germany (Picture source: Czech Republic MoD)

This cooperation is part of a broader context in which the Czech Republic has already benefited from a previous donation of 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany and plans to acquire several units of the more modern version, the Leopard 2A8, in the coming years. These agreements are based on two key contracts: the Administrative Arrangement between the Czech and German Defense Ministries and the Agreement on the delivery of tanks between the Czech Republic and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH. It's also important to mention Germany's "Ringtausch" program, designed to encourage allies to provide their Soviet-era equipment to Ukraine in exchange for NATO-standard equipment that is immediately available.

In November 2023, Germany had already delivered 14 of these tanks to the Czech Republic in return for armored vehicles sent to Kyiv. The Czech Republic has provided significant support to Ukraine, including 62 tanks, 131 infantry fighting vehicles, six helicopters, and 16 air defense systems, receiving in compensation a total of 19 billion crowns (about 900 million dollars), with contributions from the European Union and the United States.

Looking ahead, after 2030, the Czech army plans to have a fleet of more than 100 Leopard tanks, encompassing both the 2A4 and 2A8 variants. The Leopard tanks, a joint manufacturing effort by the German companies Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), mark a significant improvement for the Czech forces.

Furthermore, the Czech government is exploring a joint acquisition with the German government for about 70 Leopard 2A8 tanks, signaling an ambitious expansion and modernization of its ground military capabilities.