The Czech Republic has announced its intention to suspend advance payments for a major artillery procurement deal involving 62 Caesar 8×8 self-propelled howitzers from KNDS France. This decision stems from ongoing concerns over the contractor’s repeated failure to comply with the agreed procurement terms.
According to a formal letter issued by Czech Armaments Director Lubor Koudelka, the government will withhold further payments this year unless KNDS begins meeting its contractual obligations and prepares the howitzers for essential military testing.
To date, the Czech defense ministry has already disbursed 7 billion korunas ($332.4 million) to the manufacturer and had planned to allocate another 1 billion korunas ($47.5 million) later this year, local outlet Novinky reported.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the core issue lies with the performance of the Caesar howitzer’s cannons, which have failed to meet the required range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) in Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) mode—a key capability expected by the Czech military.
Further complicating the situation is the lack of complete technical documentation related to the weapon’s compatibility with its ammunition. This missing information could lead to malfunctions within the howitzer’s fire control system. The manufacturer has acknowledged these concerns, which also raise doubts about the weapon’s compliance with NATO standards and its ability to integrate Czech-supplied ammunition.
