The Czechoslovak Group (CSG), formerly Excalibur Group, is a Czech industrial-technological

holding company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the Security (finance), securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own Share ...

encompassing over 100 companies with over 10,000 employees worldwide. Headquartered in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, CSG operates in several sectors including defense, aerospace, ammunition, automotive, and railway industries. Since January 2018, the owner of the Czechoslovak Group is Michal Strnad, the son of the founder, Jaroslav Strnad. While bulk of the CSG's operations is based in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, CSG also operates factories in Germany, India, Italy, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. In 2023, 72% of CSG's revenue originated from defense-related manufacturing. CSG exported its products to over 70 countries, with 66% of the CSG's revenue realized in

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

-member states. Outside of NATO, the main customers were from Ukraine (23% of CSG's revenue, down from 41% in 2022), Indonesia, Vietnam, and Morocco.Annual Report and Accounts 2023
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History

Jaroslav Strnad started his business as a scrapyard owner in 1990s. From early on, Strnad focused his business on dealing with military surplus equipment, which was in extreme oversupply after the fall of the

Warsaw pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

. In 1995, Jaroslav Strnad founded a family company ''Excalibur Army'' (later to be renamed to Czechoslovak Group) with less than 20 employees. The newly established company expanded business from scrap dealing also towards refurbishment of military surplus equipment. Gradually, the company started acquiring other businesses focused on rail, radar, truck manufacturing. In 2018, Jaroslav Strand's son Michal took over the company, starting an era of international expansion of its businesses.

Supplies to Iraq

In 2015, CSG became an important supplier of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles used by the Iraqi Government against

ISIS Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

during the

War in Iraq (2013–2017) The War in Iraq (2013–2017) was an armed conflict between Iraq and its allies and the Islamic State. Following December 2013, the Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013), insurgency escalated into a full-scale war following Anbar campaign (2013–2014 ...

Supplies to Ukraine

CSG has been one of the leading European suppliers of defense and defense-related products to

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. Before the 2022

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

, a number of Ukrainian arms developments were using Tatra 817 chassis, including

2S22 Bohdana The 2S22 Bohdana is a 155 mm NATO-standard caliber, wheeled Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer developed in Ukraine. Its prototype is mounted on the chassis of the Ukrainian six-wheel-drive KrAZ-6322 truck. It has an armoured cabin ...

howitzer, Bureviy rocket artillery system and

R-360 Neptune R-360 Neptune () is a Ukrainian subsonic cruise missile with all-weather capabilities developed by the Luch Design Bureau in Kyiv as an anti-ship missile, with a later variant for land attack. Neptune's design is based on the Soviet Kh-35 subso ...

cruise missile. Following the invasion, deliveries to Ukraine comprised 41% of CSG's revenue in 2022 and 23% in 2023. CSG's most notable sales to Ukraine include: * 155mm and 152mm artillery rounds from factories in Slovakia and Spain, * T-72 Avenger main battle tanks, *

BMP-1 The BMP-1 is a Soviet Union, Soviet Amphibious vehicle, amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle that has been in service from 1966 to the present. BMP stands for ''Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1'' (), meaning "infantry fighting vehicle, 1st ...

and

BMP-2 The BMP-2 (''Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty'', , literally "combat machine/vehicle f theinfantry") is an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. Development his ...

infantry fighting vehicles, * RM 70 Vampire and BM-21 MT STRIGA multiple launch rocket systems, * DANA M2 and DITA self-propelled howitzers.

Fiocchi Munizioni acquisition

CSG acquired a 70% stake in

Fiocchi Munizioni Fiocchi Munizioni is one of Italy's largest and oldest manufacturers of ammunition. The company's headquarters and main production plant are in Via Santa Barbara in Lecco, Italy. History Fiocchi Munizioni was founded on 3 July 1876 in Lecco, It ...

, an Italian munitions company, in a deal worth "hundreds of millions of euros." Fiocchi Munizioni's focus is mainly in the civilian market. The acquisition of Fiocchi Munizioni by Czechoslovak Group took over a year, including six months of negotiations with the Fiocchi family and an extended seven-month approval process from

CFIUS The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS, ) is an inter-agency committee in the United States government that reviews the national security implications of foreign investments in the U.S. economy. CFIUS, led by the U. ...

, delayed by the war.

The Kinetic Group

In October 2023, CSG announced a deal to purchase the ammunition business

The Kinetic Group ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...

, owned by the US company

Vista Outdoor Vista Outdoor Inc. was an American designer, manufacturer, and marketer that operated in two segments: shooting sports and outdoor products. It was a "house of brands" with more than 40 labels and subsidiaries. Vista Outdoor was the parent compan ...

, in a deal valued at $1.91 billion, pending regulatory approval. Vista's sale to CSG has been protested by senators

JD Vance James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August2, 1984) is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

John Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

, representative

Clay Higgins Glen Clay Higgins (born August 24, 1961) is an American politician and reserve law enforcement officer from the state of Louisiana. A Republican, Higgins is the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. The district, which ...

and

National Sheriffs' Association The National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) is a U.S. trade association. Its stated purpose is to raise the level of professionalism among U.S. sheriffs, their deputies and others in the fields of criminal justice and public safety. Since its found ...

. Vista Outdoor stockholders approved the sale of Kinetic Group on 25 November 2024 for the price of $2.23bn.

Partnerships and collaborations

CSG works closely with

General Dynamics European Land Systems General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDLS) is an automotive and arms manufacturer spread across Europe, with a headquarter in Madrid, Spain. It is a business unit of General Dynamics which consolidated in one structure all European subsidiari ...

, a Madrid-based manufacturer of ground defence vehicles like the

Pandur II Pandurs were a type of light infantry unit raised in Central Europe. The first was Trenck's Pandurs, used by the Kingdom of Hungary from 1741, fighting in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Silesian Wars. Others to follow included Vla ...

, and

Nexter Systems KNDS France (formerly known as Nexter, GIAT Industries or ''Groupement des Industries de l'Armée de Terre'', Army Industries Group) is a French Government-owned corporation, government-owned arms industry, weapons manufacturer, based in Versaill ...

, a leading French manufacturer of military ground equipment.

MSM acquisition

In May 2020, the Slovak MSM Group acquired the Spanish ammunition manufacturer Fábrica de Municiones de Granada (FMG), specialising in large caliber ammunition and missile components. After the deal, FMG continued its existing operations and export-focused production without managerial changes. This acquisition enabled MSM Group to expand into Western European ammunition markets, reinforcing its international presence and supply chain control.

Radar delivery

The US Army acquired POLR-1 radars, known as ReTwis 5, from Czech company Retia. This technology allows for detecting living organisms through walls and has been used by

US special forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, is a branch of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). The core missionset of Special Forces ...

. ReTwis 5, offering high portability and UWB radio localization, has also been adopted by police units in Phoenix and

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

Training Afghan pilots

The CSG partnered with Raytheon to train Afghan pilots and is the only private European operator of Black Hawk helicopters. CSG showcased this capability at the GLOBSEC 2019 Security Forum in Bratislava, emphasizing its support for NATO and the EU. The forum, attended by key global figures, focused on geopolitical challenges and defense cooperation. CSG’s participation highlighted its industrial focus on international defense collaboration and expertise in advanced military technologies.

Caesar howitzers

The Czech Republic expanded its military capabilities by ordering an additional ten

CAESAR self-propelled howitzer The ''Camion Équipé d'un Système d'Artillerie'' (English: "Truck equipped with an artillery system") or CAESAR is a French 155 mm, 52-caliber self-propelled gun that can fire 39/52 caliber NATO-standard shells. It is installed on a 6x6 or ...

s from French company Nexter Systems for EUR 77 million, bringing the total order to 62 units valued over EUR 450 million. This modernization program, replacing outdated DANA howitzers, involves significant collaboration with the Czech defense industry, including Tatra Trucks for chassis integration and Retia for communication systems. The CAESAR howitzers, to be delivered by 2026, will become the Czech armed forces' main artillery system.

RETIA's collaboration

Israel Aerospace Industries' MMR radars, known for advanced air surveillance and defense capabilities, successfully passed Czech Army military tests. The collaboration with Czech companies RETIA and VTU includes technology transfer for local production and maintenance of the radars. These systems, integrated into NATO frameworks, replace outdated Russian technology and enhance Czech defense infrastructure. The Czech defense industry's involvement constitutes around 30% of the total project value, showcasing significant local contribution and expertise in radar technology development.

TATRA vehicles

The

Belgian Army The Land Component (, ), historically and commonly still referred to as the Belgian Army (, ), is the Land warfare, land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land ...

, in a move to modernize its fleet, awarded

DAF Daf (), also known as dâyere and riq, is an Iranian frame drum musical instrument, also used in popular and classical music in Persian-influenced South and Central Asia, such as in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, many ...

a contract for 879 military trucks, comprising both 4x4 and 8x8 vehicles, to be delivered between 2022 and 2025. This EUR 259 million contract includes trucks for various roles, with 40% featuring armored cabs. Additionally, DAF, in collaboration with Tatra Trucks, will provide unique chassis and engines for these vehicles, enhancing their off-road capabilities. The collaboration also ensures local maintenance and support, bolstering Belgium's defense infrastructure and capabilities. Also, in 2023, Tatra Trucks, in cooperation with

Rosenbauer The Rosenbauer Group is the world’s third largest manufacturers of Fire apparatus, fire-service vehicles and firefighting equipment, based in Leonding, Austria. Rosenbauer supplies the fire fighting sector in over 100 countries with a wide ran ...

, won a contract to supply 76 fire engines to the

German Bundeswehr The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...

for forest firefighting. The vehicles, based on the Tatra T815-7 chassis with advanced features, will enhance the Bundeswehr's capabilities in combating forest fires. Tatra Trucks delivered in 2022 the first Tatra Phoenix truck to the U.S. Army for use in their training grounds in Germany. This three-way all-wheel drive tipper truck is part of a broader engagement of Tatra Trucks with various world armies.

Notable holdings

The Czechoslovak Group holds shares in around 100 companies based mainly in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

and

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

, including a majority stake in the

Kopřivnice Kopřivnice (; ) is a town in Nový Jičín District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 21,000 inhabitants. It is an industrial town, known especially for the vehicle manufacturer Tatra. Administrative division K ...

-based car manufacturer

Tatra Trucks Tatra is a Czech vehicle manufacturer from Kopřivnice. It is owned by the TATRA TRUCKS a.s. company, and it is the third oldest company in the world producing motor vehicles with an unbroken history. The company was founded in 1850 as ''Igna ...

. In addition to the automotive industry, CSG holds shares in companies operating in the aviation, railway, defence, and other sectors. CSG's current portfolio also includes the production of engineering products for the automotive, railway and aerospace industries, watches, specialised vehicles and off-road trucks.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Aerospace companies of the Czech Republic Aircraft manufacturers of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia Czech companies established in 2016 Defence companies of the Czech Republic Holding companies of the Czech Republic Companies based in Prague Manufacturing companies established in 2016 Technology companies established in 2016