The Czech firearms manufacturer Česká Zbrojovka (CZ) will supply the Czech army with 16,000 CZ BREN 2 assault rifles, over 21,000 CZ P-10 9mm semi-automatic pistols, over 1,600 CZ 805 G1 grenade launchers, nearly 100 CZ SCORPION submachine guns and ammunition worth up to CZK 2.35 billion (around €85 million). The purchase follows the contracts from 2010 to 2016, when the army purchased almost 40,000 small arms from CZ. The framework agreement was signed on April 21, 2020, by Lubor Koudelka, Czech Deputy Minister for Armaments and Acquisition, and Ladislav Britaňák, CEO of CZ.
The Army of the Czech Republic wants to purchase new weapons without a tender by extending the existing contract and thus providing the soldiers with a modern platform that will accompany them for decades to come. The general contract should be signed in April 2020 and it will allow the Ministry of Defence to purchase weapons as needed up until 2025. CZ is a registered trade mark stands for Česká zbrojovka which means Czech Armory. The company exports to more than 90 countries. At present, CZ firearms are widely used by armed forces in more than 40 countries around the world.
The CZ BREN 2 modular assault rifle is a gas-operated (short-stroke gas piston) selective fire self-loading rifle with a rotating breechblock and cold hammer forged chrome lined barrel manufactured by CZ. The CZ BREN 2 is a modular assault rifle that improve upon the original CZ 805 BREN design and brought numerous improvements to the weapon system. The Scorpion EVO 3 is a 9mm carbine manufactured by CZ. Chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum, the Scorpion EVO 3 is mostly polymer making it a lightweight, compact submachine gun designed to be easily maneuvered in confined spaces.
CZ P-10 is a compact semi-automatic striker-fired pistol made by ČZ. The pistol is a direct competitor to Glock 19. The guns have very similar characteristics but Glock is about 2.4 oz lighter, is about a tenth of inch shorter and has a different grip angle. The CZ 805 G1 grenade launcher can be used with a wide range of modern standardized grenades in 40×46 mm calibre as well as with non-lethal ammunition, thereby making it suitable for use by security forces. The CZ 805 G1 grenade launcher may be used separately on its own carrier, designed and manufactured by CZ, or attached under an assault rifle.
