The weapons will mainly be fitted to the 14 new Swedish-built Jas-39 Gripen fighters that Prague is to lease from this year, but they could also be used on Czech-built L-159 Alca light fighters.

The missiles, produced by Raytheon, can destroy targets up to 30 kilometres (19 miles) away.

"The Czech Republic needs the missiles. Without them, the Gripens would be like a police officer without a firearm," said Miroslav Balous, a journalist with Aviation and Space Exploration magazine.

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