In the first half of August, representatives of the Czech Army at the Center for Material Security and Technical Services in Št pánov near Olomouc received the final pieces of a total of 209 ordered Tatra Force (T 815-7) 6×6 trucks from Tatra Trucks. This ceremony marked the completion of a contract initiated in August 2022. The Czech Ministry of Defense ordered 209 Tatra Force trucks in the flatbed configuration for 1.9 billion Czech korunas (CZK) excluding VAT through an urgent procurement method, allowable under the Public Procurement Act, applicable during wartime crises and similar exceptional circumstances. By the end of 2022, Tatra Trucks had already delivered 200 units, and the remaining 9 units were produced and handed over to the army in accordance with the contract during the same year. The official handover event for the final three Tatra trucks took place on August 8th in Štpánov, attended by Jan Kolafa, Director of the Department of Air Force Armament and Logistics at the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, Colonel General Vít Watroba, Deputy Director of the Logistics Agency, Tomáš Mynarík, Director of Defense Projects at Tatra Trucks, and other dignitaries.
The largest recipients, with 30 units each, were the logistics unit from the Support Battalion of Deployable Forces in Rakovník and the engineers from the 15th Engineer Regiment in Bechyn?. However, other units of both ground and air forces also received dozens of vehicles. Moreover, the production of 80 heavy-duty Tatra Force trucks in the 8×8 configuration with single-arm hook loaders for transporting standardized containers and platforms is currently underway. The Ministry of Defense ordered these trucks from Tatra in September of the previous year for over 1.2 billion CZK excluding VAT. These vehicles are expected to be delivered during the second half of this year and the following year. Tatra began supplying the second generation of Tatra Force vehicles to the Czech Army’s fleet in 2017. They gradually replaced older models of heavy-duty trucks. The army now possesses several hundred units of the Tatra Force series. The latest delivery includes vehicles with standard cabins accommodating a crew of a driver and three passengers. The cabins feature protection against chemical substances, equipped with filtration systems, a 5-liter water canister, and holders for decontamination, dosimetry, and chemical instruments. The crew also has access to air conditioning and independent heating. The cabin’s matte coating offers resistance to climatic effects, hazardous agents, decontaminants, and corrosion.
Tatra Force military vehicles are capable of operating on roads and challenging terrains, enduring various climates with temperatures ranging from -32°C to +49°C and relative humidity up to 98%. They are powered by an air-cooled, turbocharged, 12.66-liter, 8-cylinder diesel engine generating 300 kW at 1800 RPM. The Tatra Force can achieve speeds up to 110 km/h, with a speed limiter set at 85 km/h, and a range of up to 850 km. The 6×6 flatbed configuration can carry loads weighing up to 15.6 tons, with a total vehicle weight of up to 38 tons. The Tatra Force heavy-duty truck series was designed from the outset for military usage and extreme operational conditions. They meet a range of requirements imposed by armed forces, including transportability by standard medium and heavy transport aircraft of NATO, the potential for additional armoring according to STANAG standards, use of overpressure filter-ventilation units, and the capacity to mount firearms. The Tatra Force lineup includes models ranging from 4×4, 6×6, 8×8 to 10×10, with the ability to control both front and rear axles as per requirements.
The first generation of the Tatra Force series was introduced by Tatra Trucks in 2007. In 2016, the second generation arrived, featuring modernized standard two-door and four-door cabins. A significant innovation was the expansion of axle options with disc brakes and the adoption of steering systems from the Tatra Phoenix series. During this time, Tatra Trucks, in collaboration with Tatra Defence Vehicle, began offering armored cabins for the Force series. These armored cabins meet NATO standards, with ballistic and mine protection rated at level 2a/2b and the potential to reach level 3a/3b according to STANAG 4569. The armored cabins come in the same two-door and four-door configurations, accommodating three, four, or five occupants. At present, Tatra Trucks manufactures three standard vehicle lines – Tatra Force, Tatra Tactic, and Tatra Phoenix – and collaborates with Czechoslovak Group to produce special military vehicles based on Tatra chassis. Tatra Force vehicles are utilized in foreign armies as well, serving in countries such as Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Brazil, and others. Force series chassis are also employed for various superstructures and weapon systems produced in the Czech Republic, France, Israel, Brazil, Poland, Turkey, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
