Defence ministry signs multi-million arms deals

The Czech Defence Ministry signed on Thursday two arms contracts worth over 1.23 billion crowns, or nearly 66 million US dollars. One of the deals is for the delivery of 8,000 ČZ 805 assault rifles for the Czech army that will be supplied by the Czech arms producer, Česká Zbrojovka/Meopta. The new rifles will replace the obsolete Vz. 58 that have been used for more than 50 years. The ministry also bought 5,500 semi-automatic pistols ČZ 75 and nearly 600 Škorpion sub-machine guns from the same producer that should be delivered between 2010 and 2011.

Author: Jan Richter