Leopard 2A8CZ
On Wednesday, August 12, 2025, the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic announced that it had signed an annex to the framework agreement with the German company KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (part of the German-French joint venture KNDS) regarding the purchase of Leopard 2A8CZ tanks. The annex will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval in the near future. If approved, the first implementation contract is expected to be signed within the coming weeks.
Leoparda 2A8 Prototype / Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
“Tanks are an essential component of a heavy brigade. By concluding the agreement to acquire the state-of-the-art Leopard 2A8 vehicles, we are not only fulfilling our commitment to our allies in the North Atlantic Alliance, but, above all, we are addressing a long-standing shortfall in our own defense capability,” said Minister of Defence Jana Černochová.
In the first phase, 44 Leopard 2A8CZ tanks will be purchased, including command tanks, for a gross amount of 32.76 billion CZK. At the same time, a contract will be concluded for so-called “Czechization” (localization of component production within Czech companies) worth 1.49 billion CZK gross. According to previous information, companies such as Excalibur Army (part of the Czechoslovak Group holding), PBS, and Ray Service had been negotiating participation in the co-production; however, the Ministry of Defense now mentions at least 11 companies. The inflation and exchange rate reserve has been set at 5 billion CZK. The negotiated industrial cooperation will amount to at least 1.3 billion CZK. In contrast, the potential value of industrial cooperation could reach 6.6 billion CZK in the execution of tank deliveries to other users.
The package of 44 tanks will include active vehicle protection systems, mine protection systems, and integrated logistical support covering spare parts, support management, documentation, and training. The framework agreement allows the Ministry of Defence to purchase up to 58 tanks, so the remaining 14 will be acquired according to future financial possibilities.
At the same time, it remains the case that the Ministry of Defence expects to acquire up to 19 specialized vehicles in four variants: engineering, technical support, assault bridge, and driver training. A separate contract (or contracts) for this purchase will be concluded if Germany completes negotiations with suppliers. In total, the Czech Republic’s Armed Forces (Armáda České republiky, AČR) will receive between 61 and 77 Leopard 2A8CZ tanks and specialized vehicles.
The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic is purchasing the tanks under the same terms and in the same configuration as Germany. The exceptions are the C4ISTAR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) communication and command systems, camouflage, national markings, and machine guns, which have already been acquired. The contract will also cover ammunition purchases.
“Tanks continue to have their undeniable place on the modern battlefield and are an essential component of a modern army. The quality of the Leopard 2A8 – from its firepower and crew protection to its technological sophistication – will ensure that the Army of the Czech Republic acquires a top-class tool for the defense of the state,” noted Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka.
In June 2024, the Czech government approved the first step toward joining the agreement on the joint purchase of Leopard 2A8 tanks with Germany, which gave allied countries the opportunity to join the framework agreement with the tank manufacturer. Joint action means financial and administrative savings. The next step will be the conclusion of the framework agreement. In addition to Germany (123 units) and the Czech Republic, other countries that have decided on joint Leopard 2A8 purchases include Norway (54 units), the Kingdom of the Netherlands (46 units with an option for 6 more), Croatia (approx. 50 units), and Lithuania (44 units). Spain has expressed interest in the Leopard 2A8, both in purchasing new tanks and modernizing its Leopard 2E fleet, as has Austria.
The Czech Army will receive its first tanks in 2028. Deliveries are planned through 2031, at the same unit price as in Germany. It is worth noting that on July 23, the Czech side reported its interest in financing the tank purchase through the EU’s joint defense procurement initiative SAFE (Security Action for Europe).
Kolegium ministryně obrany rozhodlo o pořízení tanků Leopard 2A8, které se stanou součástí těžké brigády @ArmadaCR.
Uzavřením dohody na pořízení těchto strojů naplňujeme nejen náš závazek vůči spojencům v Severoatlantické alianci, ale zejména napravujeme dluh vůči naší vlastní… pic.twitter.com/z7DnouJ24y
— Ministerstvo obrany (@ObranaTweetuje) August 12, 2025
Leopard 2A4
On Wednesday, August 13, 2024, the German group Rheinmetall AG announced that two days earlier the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic had approved a seven-year contract worth up to 6.16 billion CZK net / 250 million EUR with Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH for maintenance support services, repairs, or spare parts supplies for the operation of 42 Leopard 2A4 tanks and two Bergepanzer 3 Büffel armored recovery vehicles. The contract had been approved by the Czech government on July 23 of this year.
Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic
The services include initial and follow-on deliveries of spare parts, customer service support, factory and assembly repairs, training services, technical and logistical support, temporary infrastructure provision, and project management.
Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH also intends to cooperate with the Czech industry in implementing the contract and to award relevant subcontracting orders. The focus will be on providing repair and maintenance support, including the transfer of necessary knowledge and experience. To this end, on August 11, 2025, a letter of intent was signed with the Czech state-owned company VOP CZ in the presence of representatives of the Czech Ministry of Defence.
On December 3, 2024, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic signed a contract worth 3.98 billion CZK net with Rheinmetall Landsysteme for the delivery of 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks.
The tanks will join the first 14 vehicles of this type provided free of charge by Germany under the Ringtausch program, whose deliveries were completed on November 21, 2023 (one Bergepanzer 3 Büffel armored recovery vehicle was also delivered). Prague received them in exchange for transferring, among other things, 86 T-72M1 tanks to Ukraine.
On February 21, 2024, Minister Jana Černochová informed the government that she was negotiating with Germany to acquire an additional 28 tanks, including 14 under the aforementioned program and 14 purchased. The first of these, along with another Bergepanzer 3 Büffel, was ordered on July 31, 2024; the remainder was ordered in December, as mentioned above.
As a result, the 73rd Hanácký Tank Battalion of the 7th Dukelská Mechanized Brigade in Přáslavice, Olomouc District, Olomouc Region, will ultimately have a total of 42 Leopard 2A4 tanks and two Bergepanzer 3 Büffel armored recovery vehicles.
The Ministry of Defense estimates that after 2030, the armed forces will have up to 119 Leopard 2A4 and 2A8CZ tanks (together with accompanying vehicles) in reserve and active service. Along with the purchase of 246 BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles from Sweden, Prague will form a heavy brigade as part of its NATO defense commitments.
The acquisition of modern Western vehicles is part of the Security Strategy of the Czech Republic 2023, the Defence Strategy Of The Czech Republic, and the Long-Term Perspective For Defence 2035. It will allow for the retirement of the obsolete 30 T-72M4CZ tanks and fewer than 120 Czechoslovak BVP-2s (license-built Soviet BMP-2s).
🇨🇿 #CzechRepublic commissions #Rheinmetall to maintain #Leopard2 main battle tanks and #Büffel3 armoured recovery vehicles – #contract worth up to €250 million https://t.co/ewA76o4vmJ #defence #military #army pic.twitter.com/22jSkRFSsL
— Rheinmetall (@RheinmetallAG) August 13, 2025
O servisní podporu, opravy nebo dodávky náhradních dílů tanků Leopard 2A4 ve službách @ArmadaCR se bude starat společnost @RheinmetallAG.
Smlouvu dnes na Ministerstvu obrany podepsali vrchní ředitel sekce vyzbrojování a akvizic MO Lubor Koudelka a za společnost Rheinmetall… pic.twitter.com/hcmLE6m9tv
— Ministerstvo obrany (@ObranaTweetuje) August 11, 2025
