The two-day NATO Days in Ostrava and the Air Force Days of the Czech Army began today at the Leoš Janáček Ostrava Airport in Mošnov in the Novojičín Region with a parachute jump by the Czech Army. The event, which is the largest safety show in Europe, is taking place in a completely different form than usual this year due to coronavirus. Viewers can watch it on the Internet or on television.
While last year 220,000 spectators came to the area near the airport in two days, this year the public is not allowed on the premises and people can only watch the program on television or on the Internet. During the solemn ceremony, several hundred rescuers and members of the security forces were awarded at the airport for their deployment during the spring emergency. Hundreds more will be awarded on Sunday.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (YES) thanked the soldiers, police officers, firefighters, paramedics and all those who helped in the fight with the covid-19 for their commitment. “Covid only confirms what we have known for a long time. In a crisis, we always rely on the military, not just me, the government, but our whole society. We all know that the military will never disappoint us,” the prime minister said.
In the past, he said, the military often paid extra for financial cuts when it was necessary to close holes in the budget. “Today it is different. We know that we need the army and that without investment it would disintegrate over time,” Babiš said. According to the Prime Minister, the most discussed order for the army is currently the acquisition of new infantry fighting vehicles. Some of the bidders also present themselves at NATO Days.
“This is a big investment, but also an investment that should have taken place a long time ago,” the prime minister said. Gripen aircraft have also been serving the Czech army for 15 years and in 2027 their leasing will expire. “It is high time to look at how to continue to ensure the sovereignty of our airspace,” said Babiš.
Four hours of flight every day
Despite the difficult situation, the organizers of the NATO Days prepared four hours of demonstrations in the air and on the ground every day. Among the most attractive were the simulation of in-flight refueling by the German Air Force A400M Atlas transport aircraft and a pair of Czech Gripen aircraft or the joint show of the Red Bull Air Race world champion Martin Šonka and the Gripen fighter pilot Ivo Kardoš. They fly their machines just a few meters apart.
“The high viewership of live TV broadcasts in recent years has been the main reason why we decided to hold the event in these difficult conditions – because there were more viewers than visitors,” said Zbyněk Pavlačík, chairman of the organizing organization Jagello 2000.
Arms companies and companies from the security industry also present themselves at the event every year. “It is also one of the few opportunities for them to meet this year. So it is also very important for them,” said Pavlačík.
Tomáš Maruščák from the press department of the General Staff said that the atmosphere from the place will be missed by the spectators at the screens, but they tried to come up with the best they could for them. “We have various army equipment here, we are talking about 140 pieces of equipment, we have 400 soldiers here. We are trying to show what the army is for, we want to present ourselves. For example, we have cameras placed on the equipment, on the armament,” said Maruščák.
New L-39NG aircraft
The NATO Days were enriched by a mass jump of Czech and Polish paratroopers and aircraft flights. Contrary to the original plans, however, the American strategic bomber B-52 Stratofortress, which was to fly from the USA without a stopover, did not take part in the event. He did not arrive due to a defect in the tanker KC-135, which was to refuel during the flight. US Embassy spokesman Griffin Rozell said the long-range mission of the B-52 could not be carried out safely without support for refueling.
Aero Vodochody also presented the new L-39NG aircraft in the air, which has recently met the official conditions for international air traffic and has the certification that is a prerequisite for deliveries to customers. The two-seater L-39NG jet aircraft will serve as a training subsonic aircraft as well as a light fighter, it is to follow the legendary Aero L-39 Albatros.
Defense Minister Lubomír Metnar (for YES) said that the ministry supports the domestic defense industry. “I wish this aircraft to operate in all possible armies not only in training platforms, but also in others that will follow. I am glad that we have something to build on, that in the Czech Republic we have these technologies, that we have these experts,” he said. .
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