In September 2023, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that Prague had decided to procure 24 F-35 fighter jets. He added that the first fighters would be delivered to the Czech Republic in 2031, while all 24 purchased units would be put into service in 2035.
"It will definitely be signed before the end of March or even earlier. We are now looking for a suitable form and a suitable date, including due to the illness of [US Defense] Secretary [Lloyd] Austin," Cernochova told the CNN Prima NEWS broadcaster.
The broadcaster reported that Prague would pay the US 105.8 billion Czech korunas ($4.64 billion). Additional costs, including the construction of a new airfield, will amount to 43.8 billion korunas, the report said, adding that the total costs for the purchase and use of these aircraft by the Czech Republic for the period until 2069 will reach 322 billion korunas.
Currently, the Czech air force is armed with 14 JAS-39 Gripen fighters leased from Sweden, as well as 24 L-159 aircraft of its own production.
Maria Zakharova, an official spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier noted that America's efforts to sell its own weapons "have already damaged the global economy and affected the well-being of the population of many countries far beyond Europe."