New Czech air defense system has range of up to 80 kilometers
The new SPYDER air defense system, ordered from Israel four years ago for nearly 14 billion crowns, promises longer range, missiles targeting multiple objectives, and a technological leap for the Czech army. It is expected to be ready for the autumn military trials.
The SPYDER system for the Czech army, which can shoot down enemy aircraft, larger drones, or cruise missiles, is nearly ready. Jan Mikulecký, CEO of Retia in Pardubice, describes the developments in the assembly area, where Czech and Israeli technicians are working:
"The individual units of the SPYDER system are brought here and essentially brought to life. We are now entering the final phase of integration, followed by military tests."
Czechia has ordered a total of four batteries of the SPYDER air defense missile system from the Israeli company Rafael. Each consists of nine trucks with different tasks.
One carries missiles, another carries radar, another carries a container in which operators sit with computers. The trucks spread out around a designated area, approximately 10 kilometers apart, and communicate with each other remotely. Retia project manager Oto Šorna with more:
"This vehicle controls the fire in the battery, and this radar helps it do that. There is also a variant where the operator can fire directly from the vehicle, but that’s an extreme situation where the vehicle loses contact with its surroundings. It has an optical sight, so if the target is detectable in the visible or infrared range, the vehicle operator can launch the missile themselves. Otherwise, the missile launch is handled by higher levels of command."
Next year perhaps in Strakonice
Retia has already completed almost half of the contract, which will cost Czechia a total of nearly 14 billion crowns, and military trials are planned for this autumn.
During these drills, the army will test whether everything meets their specifications. If the new weapon system passes, soldiers from the Strakonice anti-aircraft missile regiment will take it over next year. Strakonice commander Colonel Jaroslav Daverný continues:
"Part of the tests includes transportability. The army has always required that it be transportable by land, ship, and plane. The manual for soldiers must detail what they need to do with it, such as what to remove if necessary. This is currently being tested."
Colonel Daverný added that it will take 18 months to fully train soldiers on the new equipment:
"The SPYDER has a much longer range, from 30 to 80 kilometers, which is many times longer. It can load up to six different types of missiles."
The new SPYDER systems will replace the Soviet KUB machines, which the Czech army has had in its arsenal since the 1970s and which have a maximum range of 25 kilometers.
