Europe's friend of Israel opens its wallet: Saying goodbye to the Soviets and arming with Iron Dome technology
The Czech Prime Minister presented a new military strategy that includes a massive procurement of Western weapon systems, including a major deal with Israel to purchase eight advanced MMR radar systems manufactured by Elta, worth $125 million, which will serve as the core technology for air defense systems.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala presented in a policy speech the country's new military strategy for the coming years, against the backdrop of the growing threat from Russia. The speech focused on the modernization process of the Czech army, completely cutting off dependence on outdated military equipment from the Soviet era. As part of this, the Czech Republic will purchase American attack helicopters of the "Venom" and "Viper" models to replace old Russian helicopters. The major Israeli-Czech deal includes the purchase of eight mobile MMR radar systems manufactured by the Elta division of Israel Aerospace Industries, valued at an estimated $125 million. The Israeli radar, which serves as the core technology for the "Iron Dome" and "David's Sling" systems, is capable of detecting and tracking hundreds of aerial targets simultaneously at a range of 250 km. The agreement includes technology transfer and industrial cooperation, with 30 percent of the system components to be produced by Czech defense companies. Fiala emphasized the importance of NATO and the transatlantic relationship, along with a call for European cooperation on illegal immigration.