Czech air force to keep Gripens after 2015 - Defence Ministry

It was the first foreign mission of the Czech tactical air force after World War Two.

"The Czech military air force mission in the Baltics can be considered a regular test of the high technological standard of our tactical air force outside the country," Padelek said.

"One can say with pride that the test was successful. The Czech aircraft perfectly fulfilled their tasks, which is another vital argument for the decision that the Czech Republic should have the supersonic fleet even after the lease of the Gripens ends in 2015," Padelek said.

NATO has been securing the protection of the Baltic air space since April 2004. The Baltic nations do not have their own supersonic aircraft and they are considered NATO's border with Russia.

The Czech Republic fulfilled the task as the 14th NATO country from May to September this year. There were four Gripen fighters along with 75 logistics staff of the contingent in Lithuania.

In all, the pilots flew 404 hours, including eight emergency flights. On one occasion, they accompanied a civilian ultra light plane with German matriculation and they watched seven times Russian aircraft.

The Czech Republic leased 14 Gripens from Sweden for some 20 billion crowns. The contract was signed in 2004. The Gripens arrived in the Czech Republic in 2005, replacing the outdated Soviet-made MiG-21s.

($1=17.146 crowns)

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz