The War Veteran project of the Military Solidarity Fund and Mikov company wants to present one knife every year, which will commemorate the modern foreign missions of the Czech Army. The first in the series is the Storm knife, which is dedicated to the Operation Desert Storm. It was presented today to Army General Aleš Opata and Brigadier General Lenka Šmerdová at the ACR General Staff in Prague Dejvice.

Picture: The sale of the new Storm knife will support the Military Solidarity Fund | army.cz

Along with Mikov employees, Major Roman Hippík, the chief instructor for close combat in the Czech Army who specializes in knife combat, and Zbyněk Zedníček also took part in designing the knife. What served as the inspiration were mainly the experiences and memories of veterans from this mission. And for the connection to be complete, 300 crowns from each (numbered, not limited) piece sold will go to the account of the Military Solidarity Fund.

“It’s amazing to just look at your tradition of knife production in Mikulášovice and the long-term cooperation with the army, which is something I greatly appreciate,” said Army General Aleš Opata after the meeting. 

Video: The new Storm knife, which will support the Military Solidarity Fund / YouTube

“I am very happy about the cooperation with the Mikov company, thanks to which the Military Solidarity Fund will receive 300 crowns from each piece sold and thus help those in need. The Storm knife is the project’s first swallow and certainly not the last. The connection between the army and Mikov knives has been going on for a long time, an example being the legendary UTON knife,” said Brigadier General Lenka Šmerdová, Chairwoman of the Military Solidarity Fund Committee.

A combination of history and the legendary UTON

Combining the development and production of a new cold weapon with a historical event was a real challenge. The authors aim to remind us of the legacy of soldiers who, in modern history, were the first to perform tasks far from home, leaving an indelible mark. That is why the shape of the knife is partly inspired by the Czech assault knife type 75 (UTON), which the soldiers had with them during the mission. This knife has slight hints of the shape of Stealth technology aircraft, which were first used in the operation.

Picture: Introduction of the new knife at the General Staff | army.cz

Judging by its construction, the Storm belongs among the integral combat knives. The blade, which is made of N690 steel, is equipped with a double-sided edge. The lower edge with a length of 142 mm with a raised tip is the same as the UTON knife has. The upper edge is divided into two parts. The front descending edge in the length of 74 mm follows the raised tip, which strengthens and increases its stabbing properties. The rear false edge with a length of 54 mm serves as a thumb rest and is extended towards the guard on the back of the handle. The handle of the knife is barrel-type with attachments made of black G-10 material. The ergonomics of the handle is designed to suit all grips, regardless of the size of the hand.

Modular sheath, numbering and certificate

Each knife is provided with the marks of the maker, the manufacturer, the serial number and the year of manufacture. Marking will be done by embossing or laser. The textile sheath consists of two parts – a modular sheath and a detachable frog. The construction of the sheath allows attachment in several ways to the belt and to the grid weave. The sheath of the knife is made of black laminated non-flammable Cordura 500. The straps are made of abrasion and tear resistant polyamide. The sleeve emblem of the unit used in 1990-1991 is engraved on the front of the sheath. The package with each knife will also include a brochure, which was created in cooperation with the Military Historical Institute in Prague. It contains an introductory word from the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Army General Aleš Opata. The brochure also contains historical facts about Operation Desert Storm and, of course, a description of the creation and inspiration for the Storm knife.

Picture: The certificate issued for the numbered edition of the knife | army.cz

The price of the knife is 5,690 CZK with VAT, of which 300 CZK goes to the Military Solidarity Fund account. The knife will become a regular part of Mikov’s offer, so in the future, this amount will go to the fund’s account from each knife sold, not just from the first pieces.