DEFENSE MAGAZINE

The industrial and technology group CSG is celebrating its milestone 30th anniversary this year. It has been 30 years since the founding of Excalibur Army, which became the core around which the holding structure gradually developed. Today, this structure consists of over one hundred companies and employs 14,000 people across Asia, Europe, and the USA. As part of the 30th-anniversary celebrations, CSG has established the CSG Foundation, to which the parent corporation is donating €1.2 million (CZK 30 million) in its first year of operation. The foundation’s launch was announced by CSG on March 4 at a press conference, where the Vice Chairman of the Board, David Chour, symbolically handed over a CZK 30 million check to the foundation.

The United States Army has taken a significant step forward in enhancing its small arms capabilities with the construction of a new 6.8mm ammunition production facility at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri. This initiative is a critical part of the Army's broader effort to modernize its weaponry, particularly through the introduction of the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program.

The Polish and Slovak governments sign an agreement to expand defence cooperation between the two countries. In Warsaw, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and his counterpart Robert Kalinak confirmed a pact on the joint production of 155 mm artillery shells and armoured fighting vehicles. In addition, the Slovak side is interested in South Korean K2 tanks and Piorun mobile air defence systems. The production of large-calibre ammunition in our closest neighbours is led by the MSM Group holding company, which is part of the Czech arms giant CSG and has recently invested in expanding production capacity and modernising its plants.

Last year, developed by the French Army Technical Section (STAT) in response to an operational emergency, the ARLAD system (adaptation réactive pour la lutte antidrone – reactive adaptation to combat drones) began to be deployed by the All-Arms Anti-Aircraft Training Centre (LATTA) of the 17th Artillery Group. Designed to respond to an operational emergency, the ARLAD anti-drone system, integrated into the VAB armoured vehicle, required four years of development by the French Army’s Technical Section (STAT) before being put into service. Things are moving faster now.

The United States is planning to develop a new air defence system along the lines of Israel's Iron Dome. President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Defense to develop a system to be more accurate and counter missile threats of all kinds, including hypersonic missiles. The White House chief calls this domestic dome "golden" and it's meant to go hand in hand with a new "golden age" of not just American security. The US Space Force, which Trump founded during the last presidency, is in charge of the ambitious project.

As Germany prepares for a potential political shift with Friedrich Merz, the CDU’s candidate for chancellor, at the helm, the future of US defense contracts with Berlin has become increasingly uncertain. Merz's vocal stance on securing "independence" from the United States, his criticism of the "America first" doctrine, and his readiness for a "worst case scenario" — where the US might no longer be viewed as a reliable ally — signal a turbulent period ahead for transatlantic defense cooperation.

After an incredible 42-year production run, the final Tatra 815 truck has rolled off the assembly line in Kopřivnice, marking the end of an era for one of the most iconic heavy-duty vehicles in Czech automotive history. This last model, a Tatra 815-2 Terra, will soon be equipped with a special superstructure and serve with the Czech Fire and Rescue Service. The conclusion of the T 815 series opens a new chapter for Tatra Trucks, which has now fully transitioned to producing the next-generation Tatra Force and Tatra Phoenix lines.

Ukraine has entered its fourth year of full-scale Russian military aggression. On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin decided on a violent attempt to occupy the entire territory of Ukraine in order to overthrow the government of Volodymyr Zelensky and incorporate the state into the Russian Federation. The occupiers failed in their most ambitious goal: to capture the capital Kiev within three days. Instead, they were met with defiant Ukrainian civilians and, most importantly, soldiers who proudly stood up for their homeland and gradually pushed the aggressor out of most of the territory. Thus, Moscow has not even succeeded in creating a corridor from annexed Crimea west to separatist Transnistria in Moldova. Instead, it has succeeded in one of its main objectives, namely to link Crimea across to the occupied territory in eastern Ukraine. The country's defenders remain determined to defend it, with or without Western help. Leaders assured Ukrainians of that from Europe and other world powers during the summit in Kiev on the anniversary. Commemorative events and demonstrations against Russia took place in many countries, not only on the old continent.

In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered the closure of the U.S. military base in Alexandroupoli, Greece. The news, first reported by Greek newspaper Dimokratia, has sparked significant concern among Greek officials and international analysts, as it represents a potential shift in U.S. military strategy in the region.

Western leaders are forming a new diplomatic group that can respond to the White House's rapprochement with Moscow. A coalition of states is emerging to tackle the biggest security crisis (the Ukraine-Russia war) to hit Europe in decades. Crisis meetings hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron revealed which countries are willing to send troops to Ukraine and which are not. The Czech Republic, along with ten other European countries, is in the first camp.