Our editorial team had a unique opportunity to visit the Kopřivnice test range, where the new military Tatra Force 3rd generation was presented. We also had the chance to discuss the new Tatra with industrial designer Lukáš Taneček, who worked on the design the exterior and interior of the new model.

Video: Military Tatra Force 3rd generation: new design and capabilities / CZ DEFENCE

The new generation of the Tatra Force series for military use was unveiled for the first time by Tatra Trucks, part of the Czechoslovak Group and Promet Group, at the prestigious Eurosatory 2024 trade fair in Paris. This presentation was attended by Michel Fleischmann, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to France, Radka Konderlová, Chief Director of the Industrial Cooperation Section of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, Jiří Hynek, President of the Association of Defence and Security Industry of the Czech Republic, and others.

The 3rd generation of the Tatra Force model series has a newly designed cab, the design and interior of which were worked on by Lukáš Taneček, who was asked, among other things, about the main differences in design between the 2nd and 3rd generation (see the video report at the beginning of this article). Taneček is an experienced designer for Tatra Trucks, having previously worked on the Tatra Tactic off-road truck and, more recently, the Tatra Phoenix.

We had the opportunity to see the Tatra Force 3rd generation with a standard two-door cab, but a four-door version will also be available. In addition to these standard cabs, armoured cabs with different levels of ballistic and mine protection for the crew are planned for both two- and four-door versions.

The new cab boasts numerous superior safety features, a significantly improved interior with a digitised dashboard (including touchscreen displays), a multifunction steering wheel, and modern electronics that can accommodate further expansion with special features related to military needs. The new cab also offers better visibility than the previous generation. The 3rd generation Tatra Force will now feature air-sprung seats, which will enhance overall comfort for the vehicle's crew.

Compared to the previous generation, the new Tatra Force offers the option of alternative engine mounting under the front of the cab above the front axle or under the rear of the cab behind the front axle.

If the engine is installed at the front, the cab will be 110 mm higher than if the power unit is installed at the rear. The position of the engine will also determine whether the bonnet with one or two vents.

Under the Tatra Force cabs, both classic Tatra air-cooled engines and selected foreign engines with liquid cooling can be installed. For the front-engined versions, the cooling system of selected liquid-cooled engines can now be placed under the cab at the front, thus eliminating the need to install cooling behind the cab, a distinctive feature of the second generation of the Force range.

In the case of Tatra engines, either an electronically controlled, air-cooled, 340 kW V8 or a 440 kW twelve-cylinder will be available for the 3rd generation Tatra Force (both engines will retain the option of using standard F-34 military fuel or high-sulphur diesel). Both engines meet the Euro 3 and Euro 5 standards respectively. For foreign buyers, liquid-cooled Cummins engines will also be available, ranging from 7 to 15 litres in displacement. A completely new feature is the use of the 9.3-litre Caterpillar C9.3B engine, which can switch into combat mode while driving, increasing its power from 392 kW to 447 kW and torque up to 2,250 Nm.

The new Tatra Force will feature Tatra's 10- or 14-speed gearboxes with improved electronic shifting. Additionally, a twelve-speed ZF TraXon automated transmission and a ZF EcoLife 2 automatic version will be newly available, while six- or seven-speed Allison automatic transmissions are already standard. 

The future development of the Tatra Force family of vehicles is also moving towards alternative drive types for military purposes, branded as e-Drive. For example, Tatra is working on hybrid vehicles with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that could use pure electric propulsion in combat and other exposed areas to reduce the sound and infrared footprint, or vehicles where the internal combustion engine acts as a range extender.

In the future, the new Tatra Force 3rd generation will serve alongside the Tatra Force 2nd generation vehicles in the Czech Army, in 6x6 (truck) and 8x8 (truck and container loader) versions. By the end of September 2031, the Ministry of Defence plans to purchase up to 872 Tatra Force off-road vehicles of the above-mentioned three types of both generations, for a total value of up to CZK 13.35 billion.