At the IDET-2011 military exhibition held in Brno (Czech Republic) in May, and at the Le Bourget (France) air show in June, an experimental model of a modernized Soviet medium-range anti-aircraft system 2K12 "Cube" with an equipped anti-aircraft guided system Aspide 2000, made in Italy. This miracle of the Czech military industry was developed by the Italian branch of the European missile concern MBDA and the Czech company from Pardubice RETIA.
Firm RETIA, at the request of the Czech Ministry of Defense, in 2006-2008 carried out a limited modernization of the Cube air defense system under the SURN CZ program in the 25th anti-aircraft missile division of the Czech Army. Then the integration of anti-aircraft systems into the automated control system of the country's air force RACCOS was carried out. In 2015, the deadline for the storage of missiles on these complexes expires, therefore, since 2009, together with the Air Defense Department of the Military Institute of Brno, RETIA has been studying the issue of replacing the 3M9M3 SAM systems of the Czech Cube complexes. The Italian company MBDA came to the aid of its Czech colleagues, and since that time there has been fruitful work on the integration of the Aspide 2000 missiles into the Cube complex, which includes the MBDA Spada 2000 air defense system. The technical features of the Aspide 2000 missile include 241 kilograms of missile weight and range firing is over 23 kilometers. It should be noted that the reduction in the cost of installations was due to the "remanufactured" missiles of the Aspide 2000 missiles of early production. New missile models are not inferior in price category to early modifications.
After modernization, the 2P25 self-propelled launcher of the Cube complex has three TPKs with Aspide 2000 missiles. The new computer system allows the complex to be guided according to the SURN CZ program of the standard 1S91M2 radar system, while the new transmitter is fully compatible with the Aspide 2000 missiles. new equipment for data transmission of preparation for the launch of the rocket complex as a whole.
The design work is expected to be completed at the end of this year, and next year, 2012, fire exercises will take place in Italy, at one of the closed training grounds. But at the beginning of this year, the Czech military department announced that it was cutting the costs of re-equipping its army, and this will affect the Kub air defense system, which in 2016 will have to be removed from service with the Czech Air Force. Despite this, the developers continue the design work, and if the Czech military department decides not in favor of the Kub air defense system, buyers will be found in one of these countries - Ukraine, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia and Montenegro. The interest of the military departments of these countries was noticed at exhibitions in Brno and Le Bourget. Modernized Soviet technology at an affordable price suits the military of these countries quite well.
Before the collapse of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the country was armed with seven units of the 2K12 "Cube" air defense system. Currently, all of them are in Strakonice, in service with the 251st anti-aircraft missile regiment (4 batteries) of the 25th anti-aircraft missile brigade.
