At this year’s NATO Days, the Czech technology company Retia and the Israeli state company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems successfully completed negotiations on a cooperation agreement on the Spyder air defense systems project for the Czech Army. The signing of the agreement on industrial cooperation will take place on September 23, 2021.
The concluded contract together with the contract with the state enterprise VTÚ will ensure a 30% share of Czech industry in the contract, the Czech Republic’s self-sufficiency in ensuring the life cycle of technology and a significant shift in the capabilities of the Czech defense industry in air defense (PVO).
Retia is becoming the main Czech industrial partner of the Israeli manufacturer and will work closely with the state-owned company VTÚ, which is in charge of integrating the classified part of the Spyder system into the ACR.
Gil Shalev, Rafael’s commercial and marketing director of air defense systems, said: “With the signing of the agreement, Retia will become our strategic industrial partner in the Czech Republic.”
“The situation where the leading Israeli armory transfers sensitive know-how to foreign industry is quite exceptional and proves deep trust between our countries,” added Tomáš Pojar, vice president of the Czech-Israeli Mixed Chamber of Commerce.
Today's agreement marks an important milestone: it secures one of the key requirements of the Czech Ministry of Defense for a 30 percent share of Czech industry in the contract, guarantees service throughout the life cycle in the Czech Republic and, last but not least, Retia and other Czech defense companies cooperating with it. new capabilities in the field of development and production of air defense systems,
