Česká republika v mezinárodním obchodu se zbraněmi jako konkurent v evropském zbrojním průmyslu: Deskriptivní komparace exportů, klíčových trhů a konkurenceschopnosti

This bachelor's thesis examines the competitive position of the Czech Republic in the international arms trade relative to the five leading European exporters: France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, over the period from 2015 to 2024. The main research question asks what the Czech Republic's position is compared to its main European competitors in terms of export performance, product segments, and destination geography. The thesis uses a descriptive-comparative method with a two-layer data approach combining authorized export license values and actual delivery data from national annual arms export control reports. The theoretical framework draws on the economics of the arms trade and small-state niche specialization theory. The findings show that the Czech Republic occupies a position of genuine but war-driven competitiveness. Export volumes grew by approximately 500% between 2021 and 2024, surpassing all five competitors in growth rate and overtaking Spain and Italy in absolute export values. The Czech Republic holds a measurable competitive edge in the ML 3 category, which includes ammunition and fuzes, at 36,4%, and a secondary position in the ML 4 category, which includes rockets and missiles, at 29,6%. Approximately 75% of Czech exports in 2024 were headed toward Ukraine and its probable transit countries. The thesis concludes that Czech export competitiveness is real but contingent on exceptional war-driven demand conditions, the sustainability of which beyond the conflict remains uncertain.