Czech Defense Company Excalibur Army Delivers DECON Vehicle to Vietnam

In a recent milestone for defense cooperation between the Czech Republic and Vietnam, personnel from the Vietnam People’s Navy and Vietnam People’s Army have successfully received a state-of-the-art DECON decontamination vehicle from Excalibur Army, a leading Czech defense company. This delivery marks another significant achievement for Czech defense companies in Vietnam, demonstrating their commitment to strengthening Vietnam’s defense capabilities. The Excalibur Army DECON vehicle is specifically intended for the Chemical Corps of the Vietnam People’s Army and is poised to play a pivotal role in enhancing Vietnam’s chemical and biological defense capabilities. This highly advanced vehicle is designed to perform comprehensive decontamination tasks, encompassing vehicles, personnel, armament, gear, oversized equipment, terrain, aircraft, buildings, and various objects, thanks to its high-reach operator platform.

The EXCALIBUR ARMY DECON vehicle is transportable by aircraft and boasts exceptional mobility on a modern TATRA FORCE military chassis with a 4×4 configuration. This versatility is achieved through both manual and automated decontamination methods, facilitated by a spraying bar attachable to the platform or via a decontamination frame.This chassis is built on the unique TATRA Concept, featuring a central backbone tube and swinging half-axles, ensuring outstanding off-road mobility and consistent payload capacity regardless of operating conditions. The vehicle’s air suspension system allows for dynamic adjustments to the vehicle’s clearance, with the driver capable of raising it by 70 mm or lowering it by 100 mm on the go. Optionally, the DECON vehicle can be configured as a 6×6, providing higher tank capacity, improved performance, and an extended reach of the platform. Customers can also opt for an armored cabin for additional protection.

Noteworthy features of the DECON vehicle include:
Platform Nozzle Spray Bar: A nozzled bar mounted on the platform’s edge, allowing for the passage of vehicles underneath, with adjustable height and angle controls via the platform.
Front Bumper Nozzle Spray Bar: A front bumper-mounted nozzled bar for treating road surfaces, paved areas, and firefighting purposes.
Gate Frame: A static gateway that can be erected to facilitate side and top vehicle disinfection or decontamination as the vehicle passes through.
Manual Operation: Operators can apply liquids with high-pressure water guns, ensuring thorough treatment of various surfaces, including hazardous material (HAZMAT) storage containers.

Within the DECON vehicle’s superstructure, essential systems are housed, including a hydraulic system, water intake tanks, a boom lift, decontamination tools, firefighting equipment, and accessories. The vehicle is equipped with three water tanks, totaling a capacity of 2,400 liters (634 gallons), with one larger tank capable of holding up to 1,000 liters (264 gallons) and two smaller tanks, each accommodating 700 liters (185 gallons). Chemical agents can be mixed separately with the water as needed. The DECON vehicle offers a range of main operation modes, including high-pressure cold water treatment, high-pressure hot water treatment, low-pressure warm water treatment, steam decontamination, liquid mix decontamination, powderized mix decontamination, and auxiliary power source delivery. Additional equipment carried by the vehicle includes an integrated decontamination unit with various application water pressure guns, personal decontamination agents, a decontamination shower, a steam chamber for equipment decontamination, a stationary disinfection gate with accessories, a boom lift-mounted nozzle spray bar, and a self-inflatable tank for contaminated water. The platform’s load capacity exceeds 200 kg (440 lbs) and can be controlled from either the vehicle’s side or directly from the platform. Operators can spray objects from any position within the platform’s reach.