Cabinet approves army reform concept

The Czech government on Wednesday approved the Defense Ministry's plans to reform the Czech Armed Forces. The plan envisages a highly specialized and fully professional army by 2006.

Cabinet approves army reform concept

Photo: CTK

Membership in NATO has changed the entire concept of defense in the Czech Republic. Size needs to be replaced by specialization and team-work. The current 70,000 strong army is to be reduced to 35,000 men, specialized units are to be capable of acting on demand and the number of military bases and administrative personnel is to be cut by half. In the event of an emergency the army will take orders from the Joint Operation Centre, a body of experts from the military and government. The Czech Republic's best known specialist skill within NATO is in the field of chemical warfare and radar detection technology, areas in which the Czech military has achieved outstanding results and which are increasingly important with regard to the growing threat of international terrorism. The head of the army's department for strategic planning Jan Vana explains how events of the past year have changed the concept of defense.

"After September 11th we decided to invest more into bio-detection and bio-identification. We also decided to focus more on special forces, to build up our prevention capabilities. And I also want to mention our common effort within NATO to establish an even more effective intelligence network, to develop something called "situation awareness" which should help us to recognize a potential threat and to prevent it. "

The only open question in the Czech Republic's future defense system is the manner in which the Czech Republic will protect its airspace. The country is presently unable to finance the purchase of a fleet of new fighter jets and the Cabinet is to decide next month whether to leave the protection of its airspace in the hands of its NATO allies or whether to lease older planes until it can afford new ones.