The government of the Czech Republic today signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) formalizing its intention to acquire 24 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 5th generation aircraft.
Through the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sale, the Czech Air Force will receive its first aircraft in 2031, which will be in the latest advanced Block 4 configuration.
“We are pleased that the government of the Czech Republic is now officially part of the F-35 Lightning II program,” said Air Vice-Marshal Mike Schmidt, Executive Officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office. “This partnership with the Czech Ministry of Defense will provide and sustain the F-35 aircraft for decades, giving the Czech Air Force unparalleled interoperability and ensuring it has the capability to combat current and future threats.”
In addition to the aircraft, the acquisition also includes personnel training, service and logistic support, and the development of other support services ensuring successful deliveries of all 24 F-35s.
The F-35 is the European aircraft chosen to replace legacy fighter fleets, offering unparalleled interoperability with NATO and other nations to provide a key discriminator for the U.S. and its allies in the coming decades. By the 2030s, over 600 F-35s will work together from over 10 European countries, including two full F-35 squadrons from the U.S. stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath. It is also the only combat aircraft in production today that will create jobs for the next 40-50 years and enable strategic industrial partnerships with the Czech industry.
The F-35s are now operating from 32 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 990 F-35s, trained over 2,280 pilots and 15,400 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has exceeded 773,000 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work alongside F-35 operators to ensure allies stay ahead of the evolving threat.
Source: F35 Lightning II Group
