The current security environment in Europe is undergoing a fundamental transformation and placing new demands on the defense capabilities of individual states as well as on their international cooperation. What priorities should the Czech Republic pursue in the area of defense and security in order to respond to growing risks and the changing nature of threats? Members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic offer their perspectives on this topic.

In light of developments in the security environment in Europe, we posed the following question to the members of the Chamber of Deputies’ Defense Committee and the senators of the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security of the Parliament of the Czech Republic: How should the Czech Republic adjust its defense policy in response to current developments in the security situation in Europe?

Defense Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

Josef Flek (STAN), Committee Chair

For many years, the Czech Army was built primarily for smaller foreign missions, whereas today’s situation requires readiness to defend its own territory as well as to face potential long-term conflicts in Europe. This shift, however, requires, above all, budgetary and investment stability, making it essential to aim for defense spending at 5% of GDP.

Only systematic investments in modern military equipment, air defense, drones, artillery, cybersecurity, and sufficient ammunition stocks can ensure true readiness to defend the nation. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen the active reserves, create a more effective mobilization system, and improve the country’s ability to function as a logistics hub within the Host Nation Support system.  However, defense policy should not be limited solely to the military; it should also include updated plans to ensure energy independence, protect critical infrastructure, and maintain the state’s ability to function effectively during crises.

This entire system must be based on close synergy between the military, the domestic defense industry, and an informed public that is both psychologically and materially prepared for scenarios of a prolonged, high-intensity conflict. The war in Ukraine has shown that the ability to manufacture ammunition, repair equipment, and rapidly scale up production is essential to national security.

Jiří Horák (KDU-ČSL), Vice Chair of the Committee

The Czech Republic should adjust its defense policy primarily in a systematic and strategic manner. The newly drafted Concept for the Development of the Czech Armed Forces (KVAČR) will play a key role in this regard, as it must reflect the fundamentally changed security environment in Europe. Current developments unequivocally confirm the need to strengthen capabilities that have proven decisive in modern conflicts. This means, in particular, a significant strengthening of air defense, both in terms of protecting strategic facilities and maneuvering units. It is equally essential to support investment in unmanned systems – not only their acquisition but also research, development, and, above all, domestic production. Czech companies already have the capability to develop and manufacture their own unmanned systems, which are being used in real-world conflicts. This is a tremendous opportunity that we must systematically support, both in terms of defense capabilities and the development of domestic industry. Investment in drones must therefore not be limited to procurement but must focus above all on building a strong domestic manufacturing and technological base.

The conclusions of the most recent NATO summit in The Hague also provide an important framework for next steps, as they entail new alliance commitments for the Czech Republic. These include, for example, the further development of the heavy brigade as a key contribution to collective defense, as well as an emphasis on logistics, mobility, and force readiness. However, in addition to military capabilities themselves, it is also necessary to strengthen the state’s overall resilience – that is, the integration of the military, the defense industry, and the civilian sector; the ability to rapidly mobilize resources; and society’s readiness to face crises.

What I consider absolutely essential, however, is long-term predictability in defense funding. The Czech Armed Forces must know clearly what budgetary resources they can count on over the coming years. Without a stable and credible financial framework, it is impossible to effectively plan for the modernization of the military, the development of capabilities, or the fulfillment of alliance commitments. And it is precisely in this area that the current government has so far failed.

To sum up, Czech defense policy must, more than ever before, be realistic, technology-oriented, and firmly anchored in NATO cooperation. Only then will we be able to hold our ground in an environment that is now the least secure it has been since the end of the Cold War.

Jindřich Rajchl (SPD), Vice Chair of the Committee

Given the current methods of conducting combat operations, the Czech Republic should fundamentally reassess its defense policy. Both in the conflict in Ukraine and, in particular, in Iran, heavy equipment and technological superiority no longer play a role; rather, it is a flexible approach to conducting combat operations and, above all, economic sustainability. In a situation where it takes one Patriot missile costing $2,000,000 to destroy a single Iranian drone worth $2,000, maintaining this method of defense in the long term is completely unrealistic. Many countries in the Near and Middle East are already practically without any air defense after just a few weeks. This new trend toward economic sustainability will clearly dominate future military conflicts as well.

Therefore, purchasing expensive tanks or even Supacat vehicles – the kind used in the war in Afghanistan – at this point is a complete anachronism. The NATO summit in Ankara should be a unique opportunity for a comprehensive overhaul of the entire alliance’s defense strategy. It should not be tailored to the interests of large multinational arms corporations, but rather designed according to our country’s actual defense needs. Building a heavy brigade at this time – at a cost of tens of billions of crowns – whose service life, given current methods of conducting combat operations, is estimated at mere minutes to tens of minutes, will not increase our defense capability by even one percent.

Ivan Bartoš (PIRATES), Committee Member

The Czech Republic’s defense policy must reflect the fact that, in the 21st century, conflict no longer takes place solely on a physical battlefield with heavy equipment, but has shifted to the digital realm, the energy sector, and the information domain. We should respond to the current security situation in Europe by focusing on these three key areas:

A massive strengthening of cyber defense and the protection of critical infrastructure: Modern warfare begins with attacks on servers, hospitals, power plants, and government databases. We must radically increase our digital resilience and invest in top-tier IT experts within both the civilian and military sectors. The military must not be just about hardware, but also about the ability to repel sophisticated hacking attacks by hostile state actors.

Smart and transparent military procurement: Meeting the 2% of GDP defense spending commitment is a necessity, but it must not mean reckless spending or a return to the opaque procurement practices of the past. We must procure efficiently and transparently, ideally through larger pan-European tenders that drive down prices. At the same time, we should involve the domestic technology and defense industries much more, including startups engaged in the development of drones, AI, and modern dual-use technologies.

European cooperation and societal resilience: NATO remains the cornerstone of our security, but Europe as a whole must mature and become a much stronger and more independent pillar of the Alliance. Furthermore, we must take a comprehensive approach to defense policy, as combating hybrid threats and disinformation is an integral part of it. Foreign propaganda seeks to undermine our society from within and weaken trust in democratic institutions. The state must be able to effectively counter these campaigns and strengthen citizens’ media and information literacy.

These priorities must, of course, be reflected in adequate funding, which the current government refuses to increase to an acceptable level.

Matěj Hlavatý (STAN), Committee Member

The security environment in Europe has changed more in the last three years than in the previous thirty. The war in Ukraine is now in its fourth year, and Russia is simultaneously waging an increasingly intense hybrid campaign against the Alliance’s territory. Sabotage on the Polish railway, the entry of several dozen Russian drones into NATO airspace, and additional drones flying over European airports and military facilities. Systematic GPS jamming over the Baltic states. All of this indicates that the security situation is getting worse rather than better. The Czech response should therefore be threefold.

The first is financial. The Hague Summit reaffirmed the goal of spending 3.5 percent of GDP on defense and an additional 1.5 percent on related investments by 2035. The growth rate of 0.2 percent per year that we have set must continue. The drop in Alliance-recognized spending to 1.78 percent this year sends the wrong signal both in terms of security and diplomacy; we are telling Moscow that it need not fear us, and our allies that they cannot rely on us.

The second aspect is capabilities. Air and anti-drone defense, artillery and precision munitions, as well as engineering and logistical capabilities for carrying out missions on the eastern flank. In addition to military acquisitions, we must actively utilize the EU SAFE instrument and invest in research and development, which is proceeding at a very rapid pace, particularly in the field of drones and ground-based robotic systems. The Czech Ammunition Initiative, which has supplied millions of rounds of artillery ammunition, ranks among the most successful Czech foreign policy tools of recent years. The nature of the battlefield is changing and the importance of unmanned systems is growing, but artillery remains a vital component of fire support. We should not lightly allow the coordinating role the Czech Republic has gained in this area to be taken away from us.

The third dimension is resilience. Battles today are fought just as much in the trenches as in the power grid, data centers, and public spaces. We need clearly defined roles among the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB), the Security Information Service (BIS), the Ministry of Defense, and the regions in protecting critical infrastructure, a stronger active reserve, and revitalized elements of civil preparedness, including warning systems and strategic stockpiles.

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

Pavel Fischer (Independent), Committee Chair

The experience of Ukraine, which is successfully defending itself against Russian superiority, shows that we must take the matter very seriously and strengthen our air defense, develop capabilities to counter missile attacks, and much more. However, there are shortcomings that do not pertain to our force development or weapons systems, yet seriously threaten the state’s defense capabilities. These shortcomings lie in the realm of legislation.

In the areas of defense legislation and crisis management, we have remained stuck in peacetime, even as we face the most serious security crisis. That is another reason why I consider it an absolute priority to conduct a comprehensive review of our laws and regulations and to prepare an entirely new legislative framework. Otherwise, the Czech government will not be able to handle the flood of tasks, manage the crisis, and ensure the basic functions of the state. The Senate cannot replace the government. But we can create the conditions for an open discussion about these tasks and enable Parliament to be prepared to work in concert with the government. And that is what we are currently working on in the Senate.

Tomáš Jirsa (ODS), Vice Chair of the Committee

Above all, the Czech Republic must acknowledge that the security environment in Europe is no longer “peaceful” as it once was – the war in Ukraine has clearly demonstrated this. That is why I would increase investment in the military in a way that makes sense: not only to fulfill our commitment to NATO, but above all to modernize our equipment, improve air defense, and enhance cybersecurity. At the same time, we need more people – whether professionals or active reservists – and better cooperation with Czech industry so that part of production and maintenance remains here at home.

Equally important, however, is that we must be more resilient as a society: we must counter disinformation, protect critical infrastructure, and have contingency plans in place. And in foreign policy, we must be a predictable and reliable partner – standing with our allies in the EU and NATO, supporting Ukraine, and actively participating in collective defense, rather than simply waiting to see what others will do.

Róbert Šlachta (Přísaha), Vice Chair of the Committee

The security situation in Europe has forced us to face a harsh reality. The Czech Republic faces a challenge that goes far beyond simply meeting the 2% of GDP spending target. If our defense is to be truly effective, it must address the limitations of industry, environmental regulations, and the radical change in the nature of the modern battlefield.

The completion of a heavy mechanized brigade remains the cornerstone of our security and our primary obligation to NATO. However, this ambition currently faces the harsh reality of European industry. We are facing an acute shortage of production capacity. We must acknowledge that steel for tanks and armored vehicles cannot be produced without blast furnaces and traditional heavy industry. In the context of the EU’s environmental restrictions (the Green Deal), defense policy is coming into direct conflict with climate goals. If the state is serious about defense, it must ensure that strategic industries are not stifled by regulation. Without a return to supporting heavy engineering, our commitments to our allies will remain merely on paper.

The conflict in Ukraine has provided a crucial lesson in tactics. It has become clear that even the most expensive and sophisticated weapons systems can be overwhelmed and rendered ineffective by technology that is many times cheaper, if deployed in massive quantities.

The Czech combat strategy must undergo a transformation. In addition to essential state-of-the-art systems, such as the F-35 fighter jets, we must invest in the mass production and deployment of low-cost drones and asymmetric capabilities. The goal is to be able to “saturate” the battlefield so that the cost of eliminating our assets becomes unsustainable for the enemy.

Our geographical location predestines us for the role of a key NATO logistics hub. Our territory must function as a transit hub for the movement of allied troops in all directions. This requires more than just repairing highways. We must have a robust railway infrastructure, bridges of sufficient capacity, and logistical facilities capable of accommodating and servicing thousands of pieces of equipment; at the same time, adequate capacities must be established for troops, including hospital care. Logistics in times of crisis is not just about transportation, but about survival – about securing energy, fuel, and supplies in an environment where supply chains are under constant pressure or attack.

In conclusion, the most important point: Technology alone cannot fight, and modern technology requires a different type of soldier. The military must radically change its approach to human resources. We need not only professionals to operate complex combat equipment, but also a broad base of technologically proficient reservists. Emphasis must be placed on the ability to operate unmanned systems and cyber systems at the lowest levels of command.

Václav Láska (SEN 21), Committee Member

1. Fulfill NATO commitments.
2. Build air defense capabilities.
3. Procure drones and train personnel in their use.
4. Do not procure F-35 fighter jets.

Jana Mračková Vildumetzová (ANO), Committee Member

In light of the current security situation in Europe, it is essential for the Czech Republic to adapt its approach to defense, while the Czech Republic’s Security and Defense Strategy remains a relevant document and fulfilling our NATO commitments remains a fundamental cornerstone of our defense capability.

From the perspective of the Czech Republic’s defense system, it is crucial to consistently apply a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to defense, to promote innovation and the rapid adoption of new technologies, and to pursue more flexible procurement of military equipment.

David Šimek (KDU-ČSL+Non-Partisan in 2024), Committee Member

I believe that the Czech Republic does not need to make fundamental changes to its defense policy. However, it should implement it consistently. And in this regard, at least for now, the current government is failing. I can even agree with the assertion that defense and security cannot be measured in terms of a percentage of GDP. Yes, but. Without the necessary financial resources, we will not be able to build the defense capabilities that NATO requires of us – and that we have also set for ourselves. The capabilities the military needs to build over the next decade actually exceed the GDP ratio commitment in financial terms. So let’s not change defense policy – let’s implement it. And that won’t be possible without adequate funding.