April 20, 200521 yr From Defence Aerospace Czech Gripens Have Arrived (Source: Gripen International; issued April 18, 2005) Today 18 April 2005, the first six Czech Air Force Gripen aircraft arrived in the Czech Republic. The six (6) Gripen multi-role fighters, the latest C and D versions of the aircraft, are the first to be delivered to another country’s Air Force. The aircraft were flown by three pilots from the Czech Air Force two from the Swedish Air Force and one from FMV. The flight, which departed from FMV´s facility outside Linköping, lasted for one hour. “The flight went very well. The Gripen aircraft was easy to handle and everything functioned perfectly," said Czech Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mikulenka after landing at the Caslav air base in the Czech Republic, where the Gripens will be based. In August 2005, a further eight (8) Gripens will follow them, which will complete the Czech Air Force complement of fourteen (14) aircraft that they will lease until 2015. The Gripen aircraft will now undergo testing by the Czech Air Force before they are formally handed over at a ceremony on 26 April 2005. The Czech pilots and technicians who have been undergoing training in Sweden since August 2004 have now completed their training and are now back in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic will be the first NATO country to operate the fourth generation Gripen fighter. The Czech Republic will receive the latest C and D versions of the Gripen aircraft. These aircraft are the latest standard of the Gripen and are equipped with full color cockpit displays, a retractable air-to-air refueling probe and are fully NATO-interoperable.
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