We recently visited the Czech company Tatra Defence Vehicle (TDV), part of the CSG group, where we had the opportunity to see part of its current production portfolio. We saw the first welded hull of the new generation of the Pandur 8x8 EVO armoured wheeled vehicle, the welded set of the BvS10 two-piece tracked all-terrain vehicle or the Tatra vehicle platforms under development, which will be part of the SPYDER anti-aircraft kit for the Czech Army as guided missile carriers.

Video: News in Tatra Defence Vehicle: Pandur 8x8 EVO, BvS10 or SPYDER anti-aircraft systems / CZ DEFENCE

Pandur 8x8 EVO

Pandur EVO is a modern platform of armoured wheeled vehicle, which we could see in the past, for example, at the GDELS stand at the Eurosatory 2024 in Paris, in 6x6 version with 120mm Crossbow mortar. The main user of the new armoured vehicles is currently the Austrian Army (Bundesheer), which will have a total of approximately 300 Pandur 6x6 EVO vehicles in various variants.

Based on the licensing rights acquired by Tatra Defence Vehicle from GDELS-Steyr, the Pandur 8x8 armoured vehicles are being fully produced in the Czech Republic, which will also apply to the new generation Pandur 8x8 EVO. We asked Radomir Smolka, TDV's director of research and development, about the main differences between the new generation Pandur 8x8 EVO and the older Pandur II 8x8 CZ version that is in service with our army. "It really is a new generation that meets the standards of the 21st century. Only the name of the original pandur remains. The hull has been completely rebuilt for higher ballistic and mine protection, we have increased the carrying capacity of the vehicle, thus increasing its total weight up to 25 tonnes, and the interior space is also much larger than the generation that is in place in the Czech Army.

The power and torque of the engine have also been increased, so the power-to-weight ratio is the same or slightly higher than that of the original Pandur, and the vehicle's handling characteristics remain unchanged on the road and in the field," says Radomír Smolka, adding that TDV deliberately does not significantly increase the weight or overall height of the Pandur 8x8 EVO, because experience from the Ukrainian battlefield clearly shows the advantages of the low weight and silhouette of armoured vehicles. The Ukrainians also reportedly speak highly of the 8x8 chassis when it comes to the passability of not only armoured vehicles through heavy, waterlogged terrain, due to the better overall weight distribution of the vehicle, confirming that the Pandur 8x8 platform still has relevance.

On the hull of the TDV, the company installs the Elbit UT30MK2 axleless tower, which can have ballistic protection up to STANAG 4569 level 4 that does not interfere with the hull space. The main weapon will be the Mk44 Bushmaster II 30mm cannon, but the turret can also accommodate the Mk44S Stretch 30/40mm Bushmaster cannon.

The gunner's and commander's stations are located in the hull of the vehicle, with both having identical fully stabilised optoelectronic sights with automatic target tracking and hunter-killer functions. The commander's has an additional panoramic view. Radomir Smolka told us that the installation of an Israeli 120mm Crossbow mortar, also from Elbit, is also planned.

The new generation Pandur 8x8 EVO has also seen changes to the vehicle equipment, such as new filter ventilation, and the fuel tank has been moved to a protected location outside the mechanised swarm area.

We asked how the new pandur is doing in terms of transport by air or on rails. "The Pandur 8x8 EVO, despite the new armoured turret, still meets the standards of the rail profile on Czech railways, otherwise the vehicle can be transported, for example, in the Embraer C-390 Millennium and of course other transport aircraft used by NATO member states," said Radomír Smolka.

The time required for the complete production of the Pandur 8x8 EVO is around 3,000 hours, which is several hundred hours less than the previous generation.

BvS 10

During our visit we also saw a welded set of the BvS10 tracked off-road vehicle. This production is based on a contract between the Swedish company BAE Systems Hägglunds and Tatra Defence Vehicle, which was signed in the middle of last year. The contract, worth up to €42 million, includes the welding, painting and installation of hull insulation for the BvS10 vehicles under the new trilateral Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV-3N) programme.

The contract is for 250 new BvS10 all-terrain vehicles with an option for an additional 274 units. Both front and rear vehicles are included, ranging from armoured personnel carriers to ambulances, depending on their task configuration.

Tatra car platforms for SPYDER

Another interesting thing we saw in the TDV was the Tatra vehicle platforms for the SPYDER anti-aircraft missile complexes, including transport and launch containers for I-Derby missiles. These systems should provide the Czech Army with medium-range air defence (15-50 km) in the future.

The introduction of 4 batteries of the SPYDER system into the armament of the Army of the Czech Republic is scheduled for the beginning of 2028, when these systems should be operationally deployable. In the future, it would be logical to acquire additional batteries of this system to ensure more effective air defence.

Each battery will include a radar, four launchers, a recharging vehicle and command and fire control systems. All elements of the system will be on proven Tatra Force 8x8 chassis, standard in the Czech Army. The delivery will also include equipment for operation and maintenance of the system, including spare parts.

The SPYDER air defence system will provide effective protection of the Czech Republic's airspace, its critical infrastructure (e.g. civilian and industrial centres, power plants, water resources) and at the same time provide defence against air attack means (e.g. aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles or cruise missiles).

Armoured cabins Tatra Force 3rd generation

We were also shown the armoured cab for the new 3rd generation Tatra Force, which we presented in detail in last year's video report.

These new vehicles will be used, among other things, in the Czech Army, both with the so-called soft cab and probably also with an armoured cab.

The advantage is that the new Tatras for the Czech Armed Forces with soft cabs can be fitted with an armoured cab at any time and very quickly thanks to the pre-preparation.