The government has discussed a public contract for the service support of Pandur II 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles, which are currently in service with the Czech Army, totaling 127 units. The vehicles will be serviced by the Czech company Tatra Defence Vehicle for a period of four years at a cost of almost CZK 2 billion.

The contract covers the provision of comprehensive service support for Pandur II 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles, which are used by the Czech Army in the following variants: wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (99 units), wheeled armoured personnel carrier (8 units), wheeled armoured liaison vehicle (14 units), and wheeled armoured command and staff vehicle (6 units).

Comprehensive service support consists mainly in the provision of basic technical support by the supplier's mobile technical team, performing defects, routine repairs, technical maintenance, general repairs, statutory revisions and calibrations. The support also includes the supply of required spare parts, the provision of training for crews, operators, workshop specialists and instructors, updating of technical documentation and maintenance-related advisory and consultancy activities. This is a framework agreement under which specific sub-requirements will be provided until the financial limit is exhausted or the framework agreement expires.

The estimated value of the public contract, which amounts to CZK 1,890,909,000.00 excluding VAT, has been determined on the basis of the information provided in the specification of the assets to be acquired, services and works to be procured from April 2023 and the services and spare parts delivered so far under previous framework agreements. The estimated value of the procurement is also based on practical experience and information gained during the implementation of the previous framework agreements from 2020 to 2024 and also takes into account inflation over the duration of the framework agreement.

The Pandur vehicles should be serviced by the Czech company Tatra Defence Vehicle (TDV), which in 2016 received an exclusive licence from General Dynamics European Land Systems – Steyr to provide comprehensive after-sales service and other services and support throughout the entire life cycle of the Pandur II 8x8 platform, including the Pandur II 8x8 chassis (KOVS, KOVVŠ). TDV is therefore the sole owner of the complete production documentation and the technical and technological equipment required to provide the service. The purchase of services for the Pandur II 8x8 chassis has been and is currently being carried out by TDV.

The reason for the conclusion of the framework agreement for the servicing of Pandur armoured vehicles is to ensure the functionality of this equipment, including logistic and training support, and to reduce as much as possible the time of restoring the operability of this equipment intended for direct combat support. The Pandur II 8x8 vehicles serve as the main combat vehicle of the Czech Army and ensuring their operational capability is essential for the Czech Republic's defence and for the fulfilment of alliance commitments. Pandurs are the main armament of the Army of the Czech Republic designed to transport infantry to the battlefield and support them with fire. If the operational capability of this equipment were not ensured by the implementation of the above-mentioned public procurement, the deployability of mechanised infantry would be prevented, the rapid and protected movement of soldiers to the combat zone (the vehicle provides protection for the crew and the transported team) would not be ensured, and the infantry would lose fire support with cannon and, in particular, SPIKE LR anti-tank guided missiles. Cooperation with other troops, e.g. with the 7th Mechanised Brigade armed with tanks, would not be ensured either.