• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Defence Minister Jana Černochová signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement in the Pentagon

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

23.5.2023

Defence Minister Jana Černochová with her counterpart U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in Washington DC today. After long negotiations led by the Defence Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry with many other Ministries and Government agencies, the DCA was endorsed by the Government in April and is now awaiting deliberation by both Chambers of the Parliament and then ratification by the President.

The conclusion of the DCA is an important step in strengthening the defense cooperation with the United States and towards stepping up our defense capability while Russia's brutal war of choice is ongoing in Ukraine and the global security environment aggravates in general.

"The United States is our key Ally in the domain of economy, security and science and research. The U.S. is our most important Ally in the defence domain. Strengthening of the Transatlantic link is therefore in the Czech Republic's vital interest," Defence Minister Jana Černochová said when the negotiation was complete.

"I am proud that we will sign the Defense Cooperation Agreement today," Secretary Austin said. "It will deepen our defense ties even further, enhance our interoperability, strengthen NATO, and increase stability in Europe."

The DCA will enable deepening of cooperation between the Czech Armed Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces, especially with respect to deterrence and defense of NATO's Eastern Flank, sustainment of NATO's military activities, reinforcement of defense infrastructure, increased interoperability of our armed forces, military education and common training and exercises. The DCA is designed to lay down the legal status of personnel of United States Armed Forces in the territory of the Czech Republic. In accordance with the Czech Constitution, such stays are subject to endorsement by Government or the Parliament. The DCA as such does not authorize U.S. Armed Forces personnel to stay in the territory of the Czech Republic. The DCA also provides that any activities of U.S. Armed Forces in the territory of the Czech Republic will always be realized based on specific arrangement between the Czech Republic and the United States and will first have be approved by the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic was the only NATO nation in the Central and Eastern Europe not to have a bilateral defence cooperation agreement concluded with the United States. The United States have the DCA signed with twenty-four NATO member countries (out of 30 bar US). Those include Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria.

The agreement will now be submitted to both Chambers of the Parliament of the Czech Republic for their endorsement of the ratification and then to the President of the Czech Republic for ratification.