Ukraine Aid: Second ring exchange with Czech Republic

Rheinmetall has once again been commissioned as part of a ring exchange procedure commissioned by the German government to support Ukraine with the delivery of combat and recovery tanks to the Czech Republic. A corresponding agreement was signed in Prague at the end of July 2024 between representatives of both countries and Rheinmetall. The contract value is in the low triple-digit million EUR range.

In exchange for the 14 Leopard 2A4 combat tanks and the Büffel recovery tank supplied by Rheinmetall, the Czech armed forces in turn provide military equipment for support to Ukraine. The first combat tank is expected to be delivered to the Czech armed forces by the end of 2024, with the remaining vehicles to follow by the end of April 2025 and the Büffel recovery tank to complete delivery in early 2026.

As in the first ring exchange procedure with the Czech Republic in October 2022, Rheinmetall, in close cooperation with the German Ministry of Defense and Czech authorities and armed forces, quickly negotiated the necessary contracts. Work on the vehicles has already begun. The vehicles provided are refurbished Leopard 2A4 tanks from the stocks of various user states owned by Rheinmetall. The Büffel recovery tank is built on a refurbished Leopard 2 chassis and represents the latest state of the art technology.

The ring exchange is a procedure developed by the German government to support Ukraine in its efforts against the Russian invasion in cooperation with European neighbors and NATO partners. NATO partners give heavy equipment from former Soviet production to Ukraine, and in return receive available systems from Western production.

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