4th Rapid Deployment Brigade (Czech Republic)

The brigade HQ was created on 1 January 1994 in Havlíčkův Brod with the activation of the whole brigade on 1 July 1994. The first commander was then Colonel Jiří Šedivý[2] who later became chief of the general staff. At the time of creation, it was combined arms brigade with 2 mechanized infantry battalions (41st and 42nd), mechanized airborne battalion (43rd), recon battalion, artillery group as well as engineering, signal and logistic battalions, NBC protection company and medical group. It was in direct command of chief of general staff as national Immediate Response Force. It was equipped with BVP-2 IFV at the time.

In 1997 it was transferred under command of the Land Forces. In that year units of the brigade were deployed to help with cleaning efforts after floods in Moravia. After joining NATO it became part of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force.

On 8 May 1999, brigade received honorary name "Obrany Národa" from president Václav Havel.[3]

In 2003, it was reduced in size as part of reorganisation of the Czech Army. From the original 10 battalions, only three mechanized ones remained, one of them airborne.[4] One year after that reoganisaton, the HQ together with 41st mechanized battalion were moved to Žatec.

In 2008, the strength of the unit was increased with newly formed 44th motorised light infantry battalion at Jindřichův Hradec that replaced 153rd rescue battalion that was disbanded.

In 2010, the 41st and 42nd mechanized battalions exchanged their old tracked BVP-2 IFV for wheeled Pandur II vehicles.[5] In 2016, a new battalion was expected to be formed – the 45th mechanized infantry bn. at Rakovník. It was however changed, and after transferring organisational core to 15th engineering regiment, it eventually became Host Nation Support Battalion.[6]

In 2017, the brigade was affiliated to 10th Tank Division of Bundeswehr.[7]

In 2020, the 43rd airborne battalion was transferred to direct command of Land Forces and was reorganised into 43rd Airborne Regiment as a third ground maneuver element of the Czech Army.[8]

In 2022 and 2023, units from 41st and 42nd mechanized battalions served as part of the newly created NATO eFP Slovakia battlegroup at Lešť commanded by Czechia.[9]

The brigade as of 2023 consists of following units:[10]

• Headquarters and Staff (Žatec)
• 41. mechanizovaný prapor (41.mpr) "gen. Josefa Malého“. - 41st Mechanised (Infantry) Battalion (Žatec)
• 42. mechanizovaný prapor (42.mpr) "Svatováclavský" - 42nd Mechanised (Infantry) Battalion (Tábor)
• 44. lehký motorizovaný prapor (44.lmopr) - 44th Motorised Infantry Light Battalion (Jindřichův Hradec)
• Signal company
• Support company