Czech Republic orders eight ELTA MADRs

Czech Undersecretary of Defence Filip Říha and the director of the International Defense Cooperation Directorate in the Israel Ministry of Defense (SIBAT), Yair Kulas, signed an intergovernmental agreement on the procurement of eight 3D mobile air defence radars (MADRs) on 5 December. Czech Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar said after the signing, “It is one of our crucial modernisation projects; we need this technology.“

The contract, worth CZK3.5 billion (USD125 million), including value-added tax, will mean the Czech Army will operate eight ELTA ELM-2084 multi-mission radars from the Iron Dome system. The mobile radar on a Tatra 8x8 platform will be used for air surveillance and air defence. The Czech Army is expected to receive the first of its Israeli radars in 20 months.

The MADR agreement gives Czech industry 30% participation in the value of the procurement, according to the Czech Ministry of Defence. The Czech companies involved are Retia, Tatra, BOIS, and state-owned VTÚ. “This agreement will deepen and strengthen the co-operation and relations with our Czech partners,“ said Kulas. The full operational capability of the radars is planned from 2023.

The Czech Army needs new mobile radars to replace its ageing Russian-built technology. The ELM-2084 MADR procurement allows the phasing out of extremely outdated ST-68 radars. The Israeli MADR was selected by a board of Czech military experts over Saab‘s Giraffe 4A radar.