Under the German government’s “Ringtausch” equipment exchange program, Rheinmetall will soon be supplying the Czech Republic with main battle tanks and other military hardware. This has now been contractually agreed in Prague between representatives of both countries and Rheinmetall.
The Czech armed forces will be receiving Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and Büffel (Buffalo) armored recovery vehicles. In turn, the Czech military will be transferring military equipment to Ukraine. The order includes ammunition as well as a service package encompassing training and spare parts. The first vehicle is due to be shipped in December 2022, with delivery to be completed by the end of 2023.
The “Ringtausch” is a procedure developed by the German government in cooperation with Germany’s neighbors and NATO allies to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Specifically, NATO member states are providing Ukraine with Soviet-era heavy equipment in exchange for readily available Western military systems.