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The 'Czech Air Force', ICAO code CEF, is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The Air Force, with the Ground Forces, comprises the main combat power of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.

Contents

History

Interwar period (1918-1939)

World War II (1939-1945)

Cold War (1946-1988)

Velvet Revolution to break up of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992)

Czech Republic (1993-present)

Air Force Bases

List of aircraft

References

See also

External links

History

Interwar period (1918-1939)

For a modern nation surrounded by potentially hostile neighbors, without access to the ocean, the Czechoslovak leadership needed to build a capable air force. So was born the motto "Our sea is in the air."



The Czechoslovak government between the wars balanced a home-grown aviation industry with licensing engine and aircraft designs from allied nations.
Several major aircraft companies, and a few engine companies, thrived in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. One well-known engine manufacturer was A. S. Walter located in Prague.
The Aero Company (Aero továrna letadel), was located in the Vysočany quarter of Prague. Its mixed construction (wood, metal and fabric covering) and all-metal aircraft were competitive in the early 1930s; however, by 1938, only its MB.200 (a licensed Bloch design) was not totally obsolete.
The Avia Company (Avia akciová společnost pro průmysl letecký Škoda), a branch of the enormous Škoda Works (Škodovy závody) for heavy machinery and defence industrial organization, was different. Founded in 1919 in an old sugar factory in the eastern Prague suburbs of Letňany and Čakovice, Avia made entire airplanes, including motors, which were usually licensed Hispano-Suiza designs. The standard Czechoslovak pursuit plane of the late 1930s, the B-534 reached a total production of 514 units. It was one of the last biplane fighters in operational use, and also one of the best ever produced.
The state-controlled Letov (Vojenská továrna na letadla Letov) was also situated in Letňany. It employed about 1,200 workers in the late 1930s, and it manufactured the S-328 biplane, of which over 450 were produced. The entire airframe was welded together, not bolted or riveted. The Letov factory was the only Czechoslovak plant that manufactured metal propellers.

World War II (1939-1945)

During this time, Czechoslovakia was divided into the "Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren" (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia) - a rump state directly controlled by Nazi Germany - and the Slovak Republic - a German puppet state.
Many Czech pilots succeeded to escape to France, where they helped to fight against the Nazi "blitzkrieg" in the first period of the war, and later in Britain where they created fighter and bomber squadrons within the Royal Air Force, which were a constituent of the Czechoslovak army in exile on the British islands. Czech fighter ace Josef František became arguably the best top scoring allied fighter pilot of the Battle of Britain. Other Czech pilots continued to fight against the Germans in the Soviet Union.
Under German rule all Czech aircraft where absorbed into the Luftwaffe - and the huge Czechoslovak manufacturing base was converted to produce German aircraft and engines.

Cold War (1946-1988)

During this time Czechoslovakia was member of the Eastern Bloc, allied with the Soviet Union, and from 1955 a member of the Warsaw Pact. Because of this, the Czechoslovak Air Force used Soviet aircraft, doctrines and tactics. The types of aircraft were mostly MiGs.

Velvet Revolution to break up of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992)

Czech Republic (1993-present)

The Czech Air Force was still under the influence of the past in the 1990s. It was equipped mainly with older Russian aircraft. However as the Czech Republic prepared to become a member of NATO in 1999, it began to revise and update its doctrines and aircraft.
The Czech government decided to buy a flight of Swedish JAS 39 Gripen multi-role fighter aircraft capable of reaching supersonic speeds. However Swedish journalists discovered in 2003 that bribery and corruption had probably taken place during the aircraft selection procedure. ^[1]

Air Force Bases

★ 21st Tactical Air Force Base at Čáslav, "Zvolenská"

★ 22nd Air Force Base at Náměšť nad Oslavou, "Biskajská"

★ 23rd Helicopter Base at Přerov, "Edvard Beneš"

★ 24th Air Transportation Base at Prague - Kbely

★ 25th Air Defence Missile Brigade at Strakonice

★ 26th Air Command, Control and Surveillance Bridage at Stará Boleslav

★ Pardubice Airfield Authority

★ Air Maintenance Base at České Budějovice

List of aircraft

The Czech Air Force operates 190 aircraft, including 61 combat aircraft and 84 helicopters. 37% of the Air Force's aircraft were manufactured in the Czech Republic.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service^[2]
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-
| Aero L-39 || || trainer
attack || L-39
L-39ZA || 15
11 ||
|-
| Aero L-159 || || trainer
attack || L-159T1
L-159A || 4
20 ||
|-
| Airbus A319 || || VIP and ransport || A319CJ || 1 || One on order
|-
| Antonov An-26 || || transport || An-26B-100 || 4 ||
|-
| Bombardier Challenger 600 || || VIP || CL-601 || 1 ||
|-
| Let L-410 || || transport || L-410UVP
L-410UVP-E
L-410UVP-T || ||
|-
| Mil Mi-8 || || transport helicopter || Mi-8 T
Mi-8 PS11
Mi-8 PS9
Mi-17
Mi-171 || 3
21
16 ||
|-
| Mil Mi-24 || || attack helicopter || Mi-24D
Mi-24V
Mi-35 || 1
18
10 ||
|-
| PZL Mi-2 || || utility helicopter || || 5 ||
|-
| PZL W-3 Sokół || || utility helicopter || PZL W-3A || 10 ||
|-
| JAS 39 Gripen || || fighter || JAS 39C
JAS 39D || 12
2 ||
|-
| Tupolev Tu-154 || || transport || Tu-154M || 2 ||
|-
| Yakovlev Yak-40 || || VIP
transport || Yak-40
Yak-40K || 1
1 ||
|-
| Zlin Z 142 || || trainer || || 20 ||
|}
In addition, several Sojka III unmanned aerial vehicles are operated for reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
Types recently retired from Czech service include:

★ Aero L-29 Delfin single-engine jet trainer, predecessor of L-39

★ Antonov An-30 photo version of An-24/26/28 series (1x)

★ Mikoyan MiG-21 latest versions (MF) used for NATINADS (NATO Integrated Air Defence System) service until replaced by Gripens

★ Antonov An-24 V light transport turboprop, predecessor of An-26

References

1. Alda, Kristina. "Czech police resume Gripen investigation", ''Prague Daily Monitor'', 2007-02-27. Retrieved on March 26, 2007.
2. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', January 15 2007.

See also

★ Military of the Czech Republic

External links

★ Global Security entry

★ Official Czech Army site

★ Book about JAS Gripen in Prague