The Czech Air Force is the air force branch of the Czech Army. The Air Force (AF) along with the Ground Forces comprise the main combat power of the Czech Army. An air force is a military organization that primarily operates in aerial warfare. ...

History

In order to understand the history of the Czech Air Force, one must understand the fractured history of the nation of Czechoslovakia, and then the Czech Republic. The following named periods are roughly bounded by these dates, with each period having a distinct history and role for the Czech Air Force.

Interwar period (1918-1936)

For a modern nation surrounded by potentially hostile neighbors, without access to the ocean, the Czechoslovak leadership looked to the air, determined to build a specialized and potent air force. So was born the motto, "Our sea is in the air." The Interwar period was the time between World War I and World War II, ergo the 1920s and 1930s. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Considering the geopolitical adversaries in the region, the Czechoslovak government between the wars did an admirable job of balancing a home-grown aviation industry with licensing engine and aircraft designs from allied nations. Weapons manufacture in Czechoslovakia had never been undersized. Indeed, Winston Churchill evaluated the Czech arms industry to be in front of that of Italy. Licensing is a form of strategic alliance which involves the sale of a right to use certain proprietary knowledge (so called intellectual property) in a defined way. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ...

Several major aircraft companies and one large motor company (A. S. Walter) thrived in Czechoslovakia during the 1930's. One was the Aero Company (Aero Tovarna Letadel), located in the Vysocany sector of Prague. Its metal and fabric-covered aircraft were competitive in the early 1930's; however, by 1938, only its MB.210 (a licensed Bloch design) was still serviceable. It may be more to the point to say that the Aero plant was an automobile factory that also produced some aircraft. Aero Vodochody (commonly referred to as Aero, Vodochody is location) is a Czech (and Czechoslovak) aircraft company notable for producing the L-29 Delfin, L-39 Albatros and the L-159 Alca. ... Prague (Czech: Praha, see also other names) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ... The MB.210 and MB.211 were the successors of the French Bloch MB.200 bomber aircraft built by Societé des Avions Marcel Bloch in the 1930s. ... The Société des Avions Marcel Bloch was a French aircraft manufacturer of military and civilian aircrafts, that further changed its name in Dassault Aviation, after the end of the second great conflict. ...

The Avia Company (Avia Akciova Spolnecnost Pro Prumysl Letecky Skoda), a branch of the enormous Škoda Works munitions organization, was different. Founded in 1919 in an old sugar factory in the eastern Prague suburbs of Letnany and Cakovice, Avia made entire airplanes, including motors, which were usually licensed Hispano-Suiza designs. The standard Czechoslovak pursuit plane of the late 1930's, the B-534 was proudly crafted by Avia, with total production reaching 514 units. Avia was a Czech aircraft company notable for producing biplane fighters, especially the B-534. ... Å koda Works (Czech: Å kodovy závody) was the largest industrial enterprise in Austria-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. ... Hispano-Suiza is a French engineering firm best known for their engine and weapon designs in the pre-World War II period, work that developed out of their earliest work in luxury automobile design. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The state-controlled Letov (Vojenska Tovarna Na Letadla Letov) was also situated in Letnany. It employed about 1,200 workers in the late 1930's, and it crafted the S-328 biplane, of which over 450 were produced. The entire airframe was welded together, not bolted or riveted. The Letov factory was the only Czech plant that manufactured metal propellers. Letov Kbely (Kbely is a location) is a Czech (and Czechoslovak) aircraft company. ... Hs123 biplane. ...

World War II (1937-1945)

Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

Cold War (1946-1988)

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Velvet Revolution (1989-1992)

The Velvet Revolution (Czech: samatová revoluce, Slovak: nežná revolúcia) (November 16 - December 29, 1989) refers to a bloodless revolution in Czechoslovakia that saw the overthrow of the communist government there. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

Czech Republic (1993-present)

1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Bases

• Čáslav
• Náměšť nad Oslavou
• Pardubice
• Praha-Kbely
• Přerov

Units

The list is incomplete.

Air Forces Headquarters

Command and control of all Air Force operations.

Tactical Air Force

Charged with maintaining air superiority over the Czech Republic and providing reconnaissance and strike support to the ground troops.

Air Defense

Operates ground-to-air missile batteries and radio-based detection and countermeasures.

External links

• Global Security entry

List of aircraft

This is a list of the most well known CzAF fighter aircraft, helicopters, and transport planes in active duty.

• Aero L-159

• JAS-39 Gripen

• MIL Mi-17

• MIL Mi-24

• PZL W-3A SOKOL

• An-26

• Canadair Challenger CL-601