Skip to content Go to main navigation Go to language selector

Czech Air Force Gripen Two ship

3 September 2021

Czech Gripen: Successfully fulfilling NATO missions for years

2 min read

It was 2004 when the Czech Republic signed a lease for 14 Gripen fighters to replace its Soviet MiG-21 fighters. Over the last 16 years, the Czech Gripen fighters have not just safeguarded the Czech skies but participated in several NATO missions as well.

"At that time, it wasn't just about introducing a new type of aircraft. It was about introducing an entire system – flight system, weapons system, along with a completely new work philosophy for pilots and technical personnel," Major General Petr Mikulenka, National Military Representative of the Czech Republic at NATO Headquarters in Europe, said in a Czdefence report last year.

The Czech Gripen's first air policing mission under the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) was conducted in the year 2009 in Lithuania. The NATO Baltic Air Policing mission had four-aircraft detachments operating from the Šiauliai air base. The Czech Gripen fighters were next deployed in Lithuania again in 2012, and in Iceland in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and in Estonia in 2019 in support of Allied arrangements for air surveillance.

During these missions, the deployed Czech Gripen pilots carry out Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) patrols, air-to-air refueling, and low-level flights above sea, along with joint missions with various alliance groups. The missions usually last for 3-4 weeks.

The Czech Gripens have also participated in exercises like Multinational Air Group (MAGDAY) exercise (under NATO’s Framework Nations Concept), the international live-fly and live-firing exercise Ample Strike, NATO Tiger Meet and NATO Days in Ostrava and Czech Air Force Days.

Reinstating the Czech Republic's commitment to safeguarding its own and its allies’ airspace, Colonel Jaroslav Míka, 21st Air Force Base Čáslav Commander and also first Czech Baltic Air Policing Commander in 2009, said, "The Czech Republic stands ready to defend our nation and our allies. We have proven our commitment and support to NATO through repeated deployments. The very first air policing mission was a challenge for us. We have learned a lot from that deployment, and now, we share the responsibility with our Allies, providing air policing outside our country every third year.”

“Our next deployment is scheduled in Lithuania next year," he added.
Read the full story here.

More stories about:

Gripen blog

Lifelong learning and continuous development

At Aeronautics, we have approximately 7,000 employees including 1,000 consultants. Many of them are engineers, and one of them is Tove Frennberg, Materials and Process Engineer, in Aeronautics' General Engineering department within the Gripen business unit.

Developing concepts for the future

At Saab, we have many engineers, one of them is Sofia Sproge. She is a Software Developer in XR, Extended Reality, in the Simulators, Training and Support Systems department at the Gripen business unit.

Inside our collaborative culture

Inside Saab: Q&A on teamwork with Hillevi Wachtmeister.

A seasoned campaigner

With a defence career stretching over four decades, Johan Hägg was well-placed to provide expert insights for Saab’s ‘Shielding the Baltic Sea’ film series.

A passionate communicator

Appearing as one of the faces of Saab in the new ‘Shielding the Baltic Sea’ film series is just the latest achievement for electrical engineer Angelica Persson.

Forging the future of radar technology

The year was 2018, and the popularity of AI and machine learning was on the rise. At the same time, a student studying computer science decided to focus his thesis on this flourishing field. Fast forward a few years, and he has now become a Scrum Master for a team developing the next-generation radar detector systems at Saab. Allow us to introduce Eric Norgren.

From ski slopes to the skies

A few years ago, the idea of returning to school was the furthest thing from her mind. However, an unexpected encounter during a ski trip led to a change of heart. Today, she is a Project Manager for a team specializing in aircraft support equipment and product development here at Saab. Allow us to introduce you to Line Scharl.

Unlocking the depths of submarine engineering

Fueled by an inherited passion for technical problem-solving, mathematics, and physics, Martin Walter always knew he wanted to work in the technical field. Inspired by his father's career path, he now proudly carries on his family's engineering legacy as a team leader at Saab.

From newfound passion to meaningful impact

With a background as a Behavioral Scientist and several years of experience working within HR and business development, Jamilla Johansson suddenly found a new interest in her life. After being involved in a system development case from the customer side, she discovered a newfound passion for requirements management and testing – a passion that eventually led her to join Saab.

Bringing innovations to life

When Lisa Frid's childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian didn't come true, she suddenly had to rethink her future plans. The only thing she was really sure about at the time was her great interest in math and drawing. Today, Lisa combines both of her passions in her role as a technical writer at Saab.