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Date Posted: 23-Apr-2004
JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – APRIL 28, 2004
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Prague divided over radar export to China
JIRI KOMINEK JDW Correspondent
Prague
The Czech government is divided over the issue of exporting sensitive military radar systems to China.
Czech electronics company ERA has received approval from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade in the form of an export licence to export a number of VERA-E passive surveillance systems (PSSs) to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Export of the radar systems to China, however, has not received the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is concerned that, by exporting the systems, Prague runs the risk of damaging its relations with the US.
“We had strong reservations about exporting the radar systems from the start. However, the government as a whole has the final word and [Foreign Minister Cyril] Svoboda respects this,” said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Winkler. “Exporting the VERA radar system is very problematic and may complicate relations with our allies,” Winkler added.
The US is said to be applying strong diplomatic pressure on the Czech government over concerns that China will copy the technology and begin to manufacture it for its own use and that Beijing may re-export the systems to states such as Iran or Pakistan.
ERA had been negotiating with China over the export of the VERA-E system for a number of years. However, the sale was dependent on receiving export approval from the Czech government (JDW 17 May 2003).
Although ERA officials would not comment on the value of the contract or on the number of units that will be sold to China, the Czech weekly publication Respekt reported that the company is to export 10 systems worth Kcs1.5 billion ($54.7 million).
“We have invested a great deal of money in building the systems and despite opposition from certain circles I do not think that it would be possible to cancel the contract overnight,” said Miroslav Sotona, director general of ERA.
Officials from Omnyx, a Czech company specialising in importing and exporting military equipment, that has an agreement to sell the systems to China on behalf of ERA, were not allowed to accompany Czech President Vaclav Klaus on an official visit to China on 15 April. This, say observers, suggests that the president’s office may also be succumbing to US pressure.
“Omnyx is not selling the system to terrorists … it’s a legal contract for the Chinese military, although I realise a very sensitive one,” said Sotona.
Apart from US opposition to the sale, Czech government members also had to wrestle with the issue that since 1989, following the Tiananmen Square incident, the EU has placed an embargo on China, banning the export of defence technology to the country because of its record on human rights’ abuses. The Czech Republic is to become a member of the EU on 1 May.
“My primary concern is to support Czech industry and I am unaware of any US opposition to the sale,” said Industry and Trade Minister, Milan Urban. “With respect to the EU embargo on China, as far as I know the EU allows individual members to decide to what extent the embargo is enforced.”
The VERA-E is an electronics intelligence-gathering and PSS that can also function as a 3-D air-defence radar.
Relying on a time difference of arrival technique, the VERA-E system can detect, monitor, identify and track any airborne, ground and naval surface targets via their radar systems and any other electronics equipment that emit an electronic signal, including onboard communications.
The system is further able to detect jamming devices, secondary surveillance radar/’identification friend or foe’ transponders, tactical air navigation/distance-measuring equipment interrogators, datalinks and other pulse emitters.
As a passive 3-D air-defence radar, it utilises four receiving stations, while as a 2-D radar it uses three receiving stations.
ERA began producing a stationary version of the VERA-E in 1996 and the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) ordered an undisclosed number of systems.
The company succeeded in completing development and launching production of a mobile version of the system in 2002, when the ACR again procured an undisclosed number.
The VERA-E is a successor to the Ramona and Tamara PSSs made by ERA under the former communist regime.
A number of armed forces of the former Eastern Bloc, including the Soviet Union and Ukraine, bought the Ramona and Tamara systems.
During NATO bombing in Serbia within the Kosovo crisis between March and May 1999, the use of a Tamara system was suspected of aiding Serb air-defence forces down a US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk stealth aircraft.
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April 25, 2004 at 4:06 am