Kuehnl to sign contract with Steyr on Friday

Defence Minister Karel Kuehnl will sign a contract on the supply of 200 armoured personnel carriers with the Austrian armament maker Steyr on Friday, the ministry announced on Thursday. The deal will cost the state a record 24 billion crowns (over 1 billion dollars). The military is expected to receive the first vehicles at the end of next year. They will replace the obsolete Ot-64s, most of which are out of service.