The Czech Republic will purchase 24 American F-35 fighter jets, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday, AFP, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

“The first F-35s will be ready in 2029, and then our pilots will begin training in the United States,” Prime Minister Fiala told the press.

According to him, the first F-35s will arrive in the Czech Republic in 2031, and by 2035 the Czech army will have all 24 aircraft.

Defense Minister Yana Chernokhova said the total value of the deal is 150 billion crowns ($6.5 billion).

“We will pay about 106 billion crowns for aircraft, ammunition, simulators, training and other elements until 2034,” Chernokhova told the press.

The rest will be directed mainly to the purchase of fuel, and this money will thus remain in the state budget of the Czech Republic, she added.

The Czech army currently uses Swedish-made Gripen fighters, the lease of which expires in 2027.

“There is no time for other temporary solutions,” Minister Chernokhova also said.

The head of the Czech government said that the funding was secured after the government’s decision to allocate 2% of the state budget to defense, in line with NATO commitments.

“It is important to strengthen our ties with NATO allies. With this approach, we are telling them that we are serious about protecting our country and that they can count on us,” he added.

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