Czech Republic and Netherlands to produce mobile air defence systems for Ukraine to counter drones

The Czech Republic will produce portable air defence systems for Ukraine. These systems will be used to counter drones.

Source: European Pravda, referring to Czech media outlet Novinky

The Netherlands will finance 100 modified Toyota SUVs, equipped with a couple of rapid-fire machine guns that will be able to counteract, for instance, unmanned aerial vehicles. They will also purchase necessary shells from Czech companies. 

The Czech Ministry of Defence acted as a mediator in this agreement via its Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation Agency (AMOS).

Daniel Blažkovec, Deputy Defence Minister of the Czech Republic, reported about the production of anti-aircraft armament for Ukraine after the meeting of the Ramstein format member states on Tuesday, 14 February.

The project is based on the same principles as an earlier announced modernisation of 90 T-72 tanks. Their repair is jointly financed by the US and the Netherlands and coordinated by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. A Czech company is working on the modernisation and delivery of the tanks.

The air defence systems purchase project is a response to the Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and the country's efforts to protect itself from them. Western countries provided Ukraine with sophisticated air defence systems, but missiles designed for them are many times more expensive when used, for example, against cheap Iranian-made Shahed drones. 

Therefore, after consulting with Ukraine and the Czech defence industry, the Czech Republic suggested that the Netherlands participate in the SUV production project. These vehicles are equipped with rapid-fire machine guns and can effectively stop drones using accessible and cheap shells.

The Toyota all-terrain vehicles are equipped with a couple of rapid-fire machine guns 14.5 mm calibre that can be used for destroying air or, upon necessity, ground targets. They can strike medium and large drones as well as planes and helicopters that work at low altitudes. An effective action range is up to two kilometres. 

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