It was recently reported that the Czech Army is looking to acquire a pre-owned Soviet made submarine.
Recently Czech Republic Minister of Defence Vlasta Parkanová asked the Albanian Minister of Defence Fatmir Mediu to look into its stock of retired submarines for possible sell to the land locked mountain country in central Europe for use as a museum ship. The Czech Republic has no navy but does share the history of the old Austro-Hungarian Navy. It will be the first Czech submarine. The submarine would go on display in the Military Historical Institute but the Czech Army would ‘own’ it
The last Albanian submarine, a Russian built Project 613 (NATO code name "Whiskey") class submarine, was retired in 1995. The Whiskey type submarine was produced 1951-1958. The design was to be revised to incorporate the lessons that the Soviets had learned in studying the German Type-VII submarines that they captured at the end of world war two. The Russian Navy retired its last Whiskey in 1992. In 1960-61 Albania obtained 4 Whiskey class submarines from the Soviet Union. When the two countries had a falling out a few years later the Albanians had a hard time keeping the boats running. By 1980 the fleet was largely inoperative. Therefore it appears that the abandoned submarine in question is pushing fifty years old and is in well used condition.
The Czech Republic is a recent NATO candidate and has made an effort to be seen as a friend in the international military world. In March it was announced that it would donate a number of retired Soviet made helicopters including huge Mi-24 gunships to the new Afghan government as well as some 25,000 assault rifles and other sundry items from its massive cold war storage.
