The German defense corporation Rheinmetall has announced that the Czech armed forces will receive the Leopard 2A4 main battle tank and the Buffalo recovery armored vehicle.
The details were given in an October 11 media release, to announce that under the German government’s “Ringtausch” equipment exchange program, Rheinmetall will soon supply the Czech Republic with main battle tanks. force and other military equipment. This has now been contractually agreed in Prague between representatives of both countries and Rheinmetall.
In return, the Czech army will transfer military equipment to Ukraine. The order includes ammunition as well as a service package that includes training and spare parts. The first vehicle will be shipped in December 2022, and deliveries will be completed by the end of 2023.
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The “Ringtausch” is a procedure developed by the German government in cooperation with Germany’s neighbors and its NATO allies to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Specifically, NATO member states are supplying Ukraine with heavy equipment from the Soviet era in exchange for existing Western military systems.
Working closely with the German Ministry of Defense and the Czech authorities and armed forces, Rheinmetall quickly negotiated the necessary contracts. These contracts were signed on 11 October 2022 at the Ministry of Defense in Prague by Major General Ladislav Jung, Commander of the Land Forces of the Czech Republic; Colonel Robert Bielený, Director of the Logistics Department of the General Staff of the Czech Republic; Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, Country Director for Arms in the German Ministry of Defense; and Dr. Björn Bernhard, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Tactical Vehicles Business Unit.
Work on the vehicles has begun. Owned by Rheinmetall, the cars currently on offer are all upgraded Leopard 2A4 MBTs previously in stock of various user states. The state-of-the-art ARV 3 Buffalo armored recovery vehicle is mounted on an improved Leopard 2 chassis.
