Colonel Martin Nezbeda became the commander of the Prague-Kbely military air base today, replacing Colonel David Klement who would leave for the General Staff. Nezbeda, 51, symbolically accepted the base's combat banner today. Flights of an Airbus and two Gripen fighters over the base accompanied the ceremony.
Klement, 53, headed the Kbely air base for six years. High investments in the base infrastructure are expected in the years to come. "We are preparing the upgrading of our aircraft fleet, the purchase of other planes and the modernisation of airport areas and some halls," Nezbeda said.
Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar (for ANO) and Czech military air force commander Petr Hromek thanked Klement for his work as the air base commander.
Nezbeda, born in 1968, graduated from the military aviation high school in Kosice, east Slovakia, as a fighter pilot. He spent most of his military career in various posts at the 21st Tactical Air Force Base in Caslav, central Bohemia. He was also the deputy commander of this base. He participated in the Czech air policing missions in the Baltics and Iceland.
One of the main tasks of the 24th transport air base is the transport of top elected officials and foreign delegations as well as soldiers to foreign missions. The base is also in charge of special flights to evacuate the injured (MEDEVAC), transport organs for transplants and provide air surveillance.
The base has Airbus transport aircraft, Challenger CL-601, CASA C-295M, YAK-40 and L-410 planes and it also uses Mi-17, MI-8S a W-3A Sokol helicopters. However, part of these machines are outdated.
The Defence Ministry plans to select a supplier of a small plane to transport government officials by the end of the year. Two CASA aircraft will be supplied to the base soon as well.
