Czech Air Force Faces Acute Shortage of Specialists for Maintaining American Fighter Jets
Czech Republic, September 24, 2026 – The Commander of the Czech Air Force, Brigadier General Petr Tomanek, has voiced concerns that the country’s armed forces currently lack IT specialists; with the arrival of new weaponry—such as F-35 aircraft—skilled personnel will be required for their maintenance.
According to Tomanek, the Czech military urgently needs specialists capable of keeping pace with new technologies and operating increasingly complex equipment. The Czech Republic has expanded its role in the production program for the American fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet. Eleven Czech companies have already joined the production effort, having signed cooperation agreements with Lockheed Martin.
Production of the F-35s—which are slated for service with the Czech Air Force—is expected to begin in 2027. The Czech government approved the acquisition of 24 F-35A Lightning II aircraft (Block IV variant) in September 2023. The total contract value is 150 billion crowns (approximately 6 billion euros), a record figure in the country’s history.
The American F-35s will eventually replace the JAS-39 Gripen fighters currently leased by the Czech Air Force. At the same time, the first Block IV version F-35A Lightning IIs are scheduled to be manufactured no earlier than 2029. Under the contract, the first F-35As will arrive directly in the Czech Republic in 2031, with deliveries completed by 2035. The Czech Ministry of Defence estimates the total cost of acquiring and operating the F-35s—spanning their entire service life through 2069—at 322 billion crowns (12.9 billion euros).
