Do you know what these two vehicles have in common?

Both were made by the 🇨🇿Czech company called PRAGA.

On the left is the Praga LT vz. 38 light tank, known as PzKpfw 38(t) in the Wehrmacht service, and on the right is the Praga Bohema.

🧵Thread Praga was founded in 1907 as a joint project of the První Českomoravská továrna na stroje v Praze (later ČKD) and Ringhofferovy závody a.s. and produced cars under license from the Italian Isotta Fraschini and the French Charon and Renault. However, only a few cars were sold and production was expensive and inefficient so Ringhoffer terminated the contract.

However, a breakthrough came in 1911, when chief designer František Kec designed a high-quality and reliable military truck, the Praga V, with which he won a public contract for the Austro-Hungarian army. Subsequently, Praga began to produce its own models of passenger cars, such as the Praga Mignon, the Praga Grand, which was driven by the Austrian Emperor Charles I, and the Praga Alfa, which were very popular, high-quality and reliable.

In the 1920s, Praga began to produce aircraft engines, which were used in the Aero, Avia, Letov, and later in the 1930s in aircraft of its own design, such as the Praga E-39, Praga E-51, Praga BH-111, and Praga E-114 Air Baby.

#Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

Video of the 🇨🇿#Czech-made 155mm/L45 wheeled self-propelled howitzer DITA, made by @excaliburarmycz, in the service of the State Border Guard of 🇺🇦#Ukraine.

(The video is edited from a longer report. Below you can find screenshots from the video and the full report with a link).

🧵1/5 The DITA is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer on the Tatra 815 8x8 chassis, which was created by deep modernization of the original ShKH vz.77 DANA.

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🇱🇻#Latvia: Some photos from the Lithuanian exercise Shield Strike, which was also attended by NATO MN BG Latvia troops.

🇱🇻Latvian Patria 6x6 APCs.

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The world's most beautiful tanks - 🇨🇦Canadian Leopard 2A4Ms.

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🇨🇿#Czechia: The army is looking for a replacement for 107 Pandur II 8x8 CZ wheeled IFVs, which it purchased in 2009 for CZK 14.4 billion (~$640 million).

Originally, the Ministry of Defence wanted to upgrade 107 of 127 Pandur II 8x8 CZs and buy dozens of new ones for the new mechanised battalion. However, it now looks like the current Pandurs will be taken out of service and replaced with new wheeled IFVs. The Ministry has already approached several manufacturers.

THREAD 🧵 1/5 The first is a Czech company Tatra Defence Vehicle (TDV), from the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) consortium, which holds the licence for the production of the Pandur II 8x8 CZ and is offering the army a new version of the Pandur II 8x8 EVO.

It was TDV that two years ago offered the Ministry the modernisation of older Pandur IIs for 136 million CZK apiece and the delivery of 68 new Pandur II EVOs for 200 million CZK apiece.

Another TDV proposal was to buy old Pandur IIs and supply the Army with complete new Pandury II EVOs, which would reduce the unit price and give the MoD additional funds from the sold-off older Pandur IIs.

In addition, CSG is finalising the transfer of the complete production of a foreign turret for the Pandur II EVO in the Czech Republic (probably the UT30MK2 from Israel's Elbit Systems).

With the Army operating 20 new liaison Pandur IIs as of 2020 and no plans to replace them, the Pandur II EVO is the biggest candidate for the "new" wheeled IFV.

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🇨🇿#Czechia: News from the Czech defence industry, specifically STV Group (@stv_group).

🧵[THREAD, 1/4] 1) Ammunition production (I already touched on this topic in a recent thread about the Czech artillery regiment, link below at the end of the thread).

STV Group will complete a new artillery ammunition production line by the end of this year, which will increase production capacity by 100,000 artillery shells per year. At least one more production line will be built next year, so the production of artillery ammunition should reach at least 300,000 shells per year. Together with other large-calibre ammunition, including mortar and tank ammunition, the annual production capacity should thus be 500,000.

Also next year, STV Group wants to produce 500 million pieces of small-caliber ammunition annually.

But back to large-calibre ammunition. STV Group is upgrading the equipment for casting explosives into mortar shell bodies. Several Czech companies are now also involved in the production of shell bodies to reduce dependence on imports from foreign countries. STV Group is also planning to produce its own smokeless powder for large-calibre ammunition, with a target of 1,500 tonnes per year. A project is also underway to produce initiators, known as igniters, for ammunition.

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🇨🇿🇺🇦 Since I have a folder with hundreds of photos of Czech weapons & equipment in Ukraine, I decided to post them periodically.

The photos are from open sources, most have been in my folder for months and I don't remember the exact source, so I apologize in advance if I don't include it.

Let's get started!🧵⬇️ Soldiers of the 🇺🇦79th Separate Tavrian Air Assault Brigade with 🇨🇿Bren 2.

#1

🇨🇿 BVP-1MA & BVP-1MB - Czech modernization of BVP-1 from the turn of the millennium

🧵[THREAD, 1/7] In the 1990s, the state enterprise VOP-026 tried to modernize the old BVP-1 (licensed Czechoslovakian-made BMP-1). This modernized BVP-1 was to form the backbone of the mechanized units of the Czech Army.

The first and only prototype was presented in May 1999 in Brno at IDET ‘99. The aim of the modernisation was to improve and increase the combat value of the vehicle at the lowest possible cost - firepower, ballistic and mine protection, handling and reliability were to be improved.

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🇨🇿T-72M4CZ - the sad story of one of the best T-72 modernization projects

[THREAD] Czechoslovakia has been the operator of several hundred T-72 tanks since the 1980s and the manufacturer since 1981, with efforts to modernize these tanks dating back to the second half of the 1980s, when Czechoslovakia wanted to equip its existing fleet of T-72s with the 1A40-1 fire control system (FCS). The Soviet Union, the original manufacturer of the T-72 tanks, proposed to supply Czechoslovakia with new T-72S and then T-72S1 tanks, but after the fall of communism and the change of political orientation in Czechoslovakia the purchase was abandoned.

Czech Heavy Weaponry In Ukraine

On February 24, 2022, Russian troops launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine. The Czech Republic and Czech private companies reacted immediately and immediately began sending much-needed weaponry to the Ukrainian defenders to withstand the initial onslaught. This 🧵thread will introduce you to every known 🇨🇿#Czech equipment delivered to 🇺🇦#Ukraine: ⬇️

Mi-24V/35

The Mil Mi-24V/35 Hind-E is a twin-engine attack helicopter designed for direct support of ground units, it has the unique ability to transport up to 8 people or 1500kg of material in the cargo area. It is armed with a 12.7mm four-barreled 9A624 rotary machine gun and can carry up to eight 9M114 ATGMs, 55mm S-5 or 80mm S-8 rockets, UPK-23-250 cannon containers with a 23mm GSh-23L twin-barreled cannon, GUV9A universal containers with the possibility of installing a 30mm automatic 9-A-800 grenade launcher or one 12.7mm four-barreled 9-A-624 machine gun and two 7.62mm four-barreled 9-A-622 machine guns, and more...

The Czech Republic received 17 Mi-24V/35 attack helicopters, manufactured between 2003 and 2005, as compensation for Russia's debt to the Czech Republic. The helicopters received subsequent modifications compared to the classic Mi-24V: TV3-117VMA engines, EVU engine exhaust gas cooling system, cabin and exterior light modifications for use of night vision system including custom night vision scopes, GPS satellite navigation system (Garmin-155 XL type), backup artificial horizon (type LUN 1241 of Czech manufacture), VARTA batteries, civil identification system transponder (IFF), which allows flights over the territory of the Czech Republic without restrictions, new elements for signaling and recording of flight parameters , altimeter calibrated in feet. Later modernization (~2017) included stabilized platform with FLIR night vision optoelectronic system, multi-function displays including moving map system, upgraded communication and navigation equipment, incorporation of an friend/foe aircraft identification system (IFF), planning and combat support system.

Photos from the stopover for refuelling in the east of the Czech Republic, during the flight to Poland and then to Ukraine, mid-May 2022. 📸Photos by @BuschModelar

Czech weapons in Ukraine

On February 24, 2022, Russian troops launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine. The Czech Republic and Czech private companies reacted immediately and immediately began sending much-needed weapons and ammunition to the Ukrainian defenders to withstand the initial onslaught.

This 🧵thread will introduce you to every known 🇨🇿#Czech-made weapon delivered to 🇺🇦#Ukraine ⬇️:
Samopal vz.58

SA vz.58 is an assault rifle in caliber 7.62x39mm, manufactured by Česká Zbrojovka Uherský Brod. It exists in two basic versions - P, with a fixed stock, also known as Pádlo "Paddle", and V, with a folding stock, also known as Kosa "Scythe". The government decided to deliver to Ukraine on February 26, 2022, the third day of the invasion, in the amount of 5,000 units. They were seen especially in the first months of the war, among foreign volunteers, mobilized civilians and the Territorial Defense Forces.

🇨🇿#Czechia: HUGE NEWS ABOUT CZECH ARMS SUPPLIES TO ASIA.

According to a source from the Czech government, during the current visit of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to 🇻🇳#Vietnam, major cooperation in security-defence is planned.

1/5 Vietnam is particularly interested in additional L-39NG aircraft, of which it has ordered 12 in 2021 and deliveries of the first units are due to start this year. The delivery of L-410NG transport aircraft was also discussed. Both products are under @Omnipol1934 group.

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🇹🇷#Türkiye: On 23 April, the Turkish Armed Forces inaugurated the first two #Altay tanks for trials. Due to significant changes in the design, the tank is now referred to as the ‘New Altay’.

1/4 The tests of the #Altay tank by the 🇹🇷#TAF are expected to be completed in 2024. In 2025, mass production of the tank will begin with the Korean powerpack, and in the second half of 2026 production is planned with the domestic Batu powerpack.

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#Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

The 🇳🇱#Netherlands and the 🇨🇿#Czechia are currently preparing two other projects in the field of air defence and artillery for 🇺🇦#Ukraine.

Thread🧶 1/x

@oryxspioenkop @Rebel44CZ @secretsqrl123 @ukraine_map @OSINTua @UAWeapons @LivFaustDieJung I think the projects will go in the same direction as the current rebuild of 90 T-72 tanks or the production of 115 MR-2 systems. That is, the production and coordination of the projects will be done in 🇨🇿#Czechia, while the 🇳🇱#Netherlands will largely finance the projects.

2/x

In 2011, the 🇨🇿#Czech company #Retia presented a demonstrator of the upgraded 2K12 #Kub complex. The main change was the replacement of the original #3M9M3 missiles with 🇮🇹#Italian #MBDA #Aspide 2000 missiles, which are based on the 🇺🇸#US AIM-9E #Sparrow.

Thread🧶 The missiles have maximum speed of Mach 4, range of 25km and have a 32kg warhead.
Missiles were now housed in compact launch containers, thus eliminating the need for constant loading onto launch rails and stacking on transport/loading vehicles. SURNCZ radar was used for guidance

#Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

Since 2014, there have been many vehicle modifications on both sides on the #Ukrainian battlefield. One of the most frequently modified vehicles is the MT-LB, originally intended as an artillery tractor.

@oryxspioenkop @CalibreObscura

Thread🧵

1/ Of course, many mass-produced vehicles were built on the MT-LB chassis, such as the 9k35 Strela-10, the 9P149 Shturm-S, or the 2S1 Gvozdika.

2/

#Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

🇺🇦#Ukrainian howitzers thread

155mm #M777 howitzer twitter.com/i/web/status/1… #Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

155mm #FH70 howitzer

#Ukraine/#Russia 🇺🇦🇷🇺:

A 🇺🇦#Ukrainian #M777 howitzer delivered from the 🇺🇸#US works on 🇷🇺#Russian positions with the support of a Su-24 fighter.

⬇️more M777 vids