The Czechoslovak Group (CG) officially launched a new division named Tatra Defence Vehicles (TDV) on 31 May.
TDV is a subsidiary of CG-owned Tatra Trucks and is located at the Korpivnice production facility.
TDV will focus on licensed production of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge Pandur II CZ 8×8 armoured vehicle and its variants for the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) and for foreign customers.
TDV will also produce under license the Nexter Titus 6×6 MRAP vehicle once it is officially accepted by the ACR, as well as produce and modify armoured cabs for the Tatra 810 6×6 medium truck currently in service with the ACR.
The Pandur II 8×8 is an improved modular all-wheel-drive version of the Pandur 6×6 APC wheeled armoured vehicle. It was developed as a private venture by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge and is currently in production for the Portuguese Armed Forces. Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge is part of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems, which is also the parent company of MOWAG of Switzerland and Santa Bárbara Sistemas of Spain.
The most significant change is the introduction of an 8×8 configuration with more interior space. The construction is an all-welded steel hull with optional armour upgrades. The basic armour package is designed to protect against 7.62 to 14.5 mm (0.300 to 0.571 in) armour-piercing rounds (customers may select a choice of armour thickness). The vehicle is designed to be transportable in a Lockheed Martin C-130 Herculestransport aircraft. The driver is seated on the left at the front and the engine is to the right. The driver is provided with a single piece hatch cover as well as three day periscopes, one of which can be replaced by a passive periscope for night missions. The vehicle is fitted with a two-stage synchronized distribution gear box for both road and cross country use. Improved suspension will be fitted for optimum cross country mobility. The vehicle is designed to take a number of turret systems (such as the SP 30 turret also mounted on the ASCOD AFV of the Spanish and Austrian Armies), or it can be used as a standard APC with a mounted machine gun.
With the turret the vehicle can carry 6 infantry. Without the turret, it can carry 12.
The Pandur 8×8 APC is manufactured in Austria while export versions are also built in the Czech Republic and licensed versions in Barreiro, Portugal.
Czech variants
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The Czech Pandur II 8×8 CZ differs from the original version in that a new breakwater controlled from inside the vehicle has been fitted, and the driver’s hatch is fitted for CDND-1 night vision apparatus. The armor is designed to protect against 14.5×114 (with RAFAEL add-on passive armour). SSAB ARMOX 500[5] armour steel is used for the bottom side of the hull which has an intermediate floor with suspended from wall and ceiling mounts rather than floor mounted. The standard Pandur II has a flat bottom, but Pandur II CZ has its bottom shaped to the “/\” (reversed “V”) which some sources maintain reduces the effect of mine blast on passengers.
There are three robust cameras (left, right and rear) giving the ability to driver to reverse without leader’s help or observe around the vehicle. The driver has one monitor for this purpose. The cameras are from Orlaco company[6] much like monitor in troop section.[7] Czech Pandurs II 8×8 also include navigation, information, communication and identification system.
Pandurs without RCWS-30 will be unarmed or equipped with Rafael Mini-Samson RCWS-12.7.[8][9] Rafael RCWSs bought by Czech republic: 78x RCWS-30, 14 RCWS-30 (with no Spike-LR missiles), 93 Mini-Samson RCWS units that carry 12.7mm machine gun. Its Cummins ISLe T450 455HP diesel engine can be removed and replaced in 30 minutes.
- KBVP (kolové bojové vozidlo pěchoty)[10][11] – IFV version equipped with upgraded Rafael RCWS-30. Upgraded RCWS-30 include: 30mm ATK MK 44, optional launcher pod for two RAFAEL Spike-LR anti-tank/multi-purpose guided missiles, coaxial 7.62mm machine gun M240, and two quadruple (2×4) 76mm Wegmann smoke grenade launcher tubes. Fire-ready ammunition accommodates 140 high-explosive (HE) and 60 armor-piercing (AP) 30mm rounds, 2 Spike-LR missiles, 250×7.62mm rounds, and 8×76.2mm smoke grenades. The missiles container is newly located vertically. In contradistinction to the original RCWS-30, the Czech RCWS has two new CCD/IR cameras with rangefinder/laser designator with 360° coverage. The original camera was replaced by a new one and a second camera is mast-mounted on the right side of the RCWS (circa 3,5 meters above the ground). The commander’s hatch visor was removed. With new mast-mounted camera the commander gained new ability to independently observe the surroundings and to seek and track enemies (commander can take over weapons’s control or designate target for gunner). All Czech IFVs will be equipped with mast-mounted meteorological sensor with laser illumination warner connected to FCS. This mast-mounted system will be located on the left side of RCWS just like commander’s independent thermal viewer.