The Czech Republic has signed a seven-year deal with Rheinmetall worth up to €250 million ($292M) to support its fleet of 42 Leopard 2A4 tanks and two Bergepanzer 3 Büffel recovery vehicles. The agreement covers spare parts supply, factory and field repairs, upgrades, maintenance training, and project management, alongside cooperation with Czech industry to localize repairs and transfer know-how. The Leopard 2A4, weighing 62 tons, can reach 70 km/h with a range of 450 km, and is armed with a 120mm smoothbore cannon plus a 7.62mm MG. Rheinmetall’s Büffel ARVs, built on the same chassis, recover damaged vehicles and offer battlefield engineering support. The deal reflects Prague’s move to strengthen land forces as part of a long-term plan to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, in light of Russian threats.
