Czech Ministry of Defence plans to purchase up to 872 Tatra Force vehicles
Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic plans to conclude a framework agreement for the purchase of Tatra Force heavy trucks with Tatra Defence Systems s.r.o. The aim is to replace obsolete equipment, some of which is up to 40 years old. Defence Minister Jana Černochová will submit information on the contract to the government in mid-July. The trucks will be purchased according to the current needs of the Czech Army and the financial capabilities of the Ministry of Defence. According to the draft agreement, the Ministry of Defence may purchase up to 872 Tatra Force off-road vehicles of three types by the end of September 2031, with a projected cost of up to CZK 13.35 billion.
The framework agreement also allows alliance partners to participate. The Ministry of Defence took inspiration from Germany, where the German Ministry of Defence concluded a similar contract with the manufacturer of Leopard 2A8 tanks, allowing other countries to join the agreement under the same conditions. The involvement of other countries would also mean a quantitative discount for the Czech Ministry of Defence. For example, Slovakia is seriously considering joining the framework agreement and making a joint purchase.
The purchase of new trucks would help the Czech Army to increase its transport capacity, which is currently not full. More importantly, it would replace often significantly outdated equipment. The Supreme Audit Office also highlighted the age of the army's fleet during its audit.
The subject of the public procurement are Tatra Force 6x6 (a truck) and Tatra Force 8x8 (a truck and a container loader). The vehicles will be 2nd and 3rd generation Tatra Force vehicles, so as to maintain continuity of supply to the Czech Army, according to its needs. The minimum number of vehicles to be purchased is 98, the maximum 872. The first few dozen vehicles could be delivered to the Army of the Czech Republic as early as next year. The price has been assessed by a forensic expert.
The Tatra Force 6x6 (truck loader) and Tatra Force 8x8 (container loader) are already in service with the Czech Army, with the Tatra Force 8x8 type (truck loader) being newly introduced. The use of a single transport platform significantly simplifies logistics support.
The vehicles will be used for transporting materials on the road and in the field, and can also be used during the deployment of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in rescue and humanitarian operations. Ensuring transport capacity is essential for the functioning of the Czech Armed Forces.
