The Czech Air Force (Czech: České Letectvo), officially the Army of the Czech Republic Air Force (Czech: Vzdušné Síly Armády České Republiky), is the air force branch of the Army of the Czech Republic. Along with the Land Forces, the Air Force is the major Czech military force. The Czech Air Force succeeded the Czechoslovakian Air Force together with the Slovak Air Force in 1993.
The Air Force is responsible for securing the integrity of Czechia's airspace through air and missile defence systems, close air support to the Land Forces and for transportation tasks including government and state priority flights. In peacetime the Air Force contributes to tasks originating in the Czech laws and interministerial agreements, for example to the air ambulance service or the SAR role.
Czech JAS-39C/D Gripen multirole fighters fulfill primarily the tasks related to the air defence of Czechia. In the so-called national reinforcement system the subsonic L-159 ALCA jets could be deployed to fulfill this task too. The radar surveillance of the airspace of Czechia is a responsibility of the 26th Air Command, Control and Surveillance Regiment at Stará Boleslav. Altogether seven radio-technical companies are spread around the country so that they can continuously cover its whole territory.
Aircraft Inventory[]
Fighters[]
Saab JAS 39C Gripen x 86 (Multirole Fighter)
Attack Aircraft[]
Aero L-159A ALCA x 72 (Attack Aircraft)
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SEPECAT Jaguar x 62 (Attack Aircraft)
Reconnaissance Aircraft[]
- LET L-410FG Turbolet x 2 (Surveilance Aircraft)
Transport Aircraft[]
- Airbus A319CJ x 2 (VIP Transport)
- CASA C-295M x 6 (Tactical Transport)
- Canadair Challenger 601 x 2 (VIP Transport)
- Embraer KC-390 Millennium x 2 (Aerial Tanker)
- Fokker 100 x 6 (Transport Aircraft)
- Let L-410UVP Turbolet x 6 (Transport Aircraft)
Helicopters[]
- BHI Griffon AH.1 x 16 (Attack Helicopter)
- BHI Griffon HC.2 x 20 (Utility Helicopter)
- PZL W-3A Sokół x 12 (Utility Helicopter)
- Westland Lion x 6 (Heavy Lift Transport Helicopter)
- Westland Wyvern x 22 (Utility Helicopter)
Trainer Aircraft[]
- Aero L-159T1/2 ALCA x 10 (Jet Trainer)
- Saab JAS 39D Gripen x 12 (Conversion Trainer)