The government of Taiwan plans to conclude a major defense agreement with the Czech Republic for the purchase of howitzers and other wheeled equipment.

The Taiwanese Up Media reported about this.

According to the media, the Ministry of Defense of Taiwan has developed a project to purchase DITA 155-mm self-propelled howitzers produced by the Czech company Excalibur Army.

Since the country’s army has never used a Czech self-propelled howitzer, the initial plan is to purchase two DITA self-propelled howitzers and transfer them to the Taiwan Army Artillery School for testing, after which the procurement issue will be decided.

It is also reported that Taiwan is considering the purchase of numerous Tatra trucks. The country considers them as chassis for its MLRS, air defense systems, anti-ship missiles, ballistic missiles and engineering vehicles.

Taiwan is currently evaluating the possibility of replacing older MLRS and launchers with new models, which would potentially mean the need for 200-400 new Tatra trucks.

If the defense agreement is signed, DITA self-propelled howitzers and Tatra trucks will be manufactured under license at Taiwan’s facilities.

The Academy of Sciences of Taiwan offers to purchase trucks produced by the Tatra company for the Thunderbolt-2000 (Leiting 2000) MLRS project, as well as for the creation of a promising armored personnel carrier.

Taipei also planned to buy a certain number of trucks as a platform for transporting Yun Feng missiles. These are surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missiles. According to various estimates, the missile can hit targets at a distance of 1.5-2 thousand kilometers.

It is also reported that Taiwan plans to create a Cloud Leopard wheeled tank with a 105 mm gun on a Tatra 815-7 8×8 truck chassis.

Chinese intervention is possible

The media notes that allegedly 72 hours after the meeting of the delegations of the Czech Republic and Taiwan, the management of Excalibur Army received a phone call from the Chinese embassy protesting against the supply of equipment to Taiwan.

In recent years, the Czech Republic and Taiwan have become close allies, supporting each other economically and politically.