Development, Production, and Integration: Tatra Defence – A Key Player in the Czech Defense Industry
The Tatra Defence brand is part of the CSG industrial and technology group, where it serves as a key manufacturer and integrator of military vehicles – not only on the Tatra platform – and underscores the Czech defense industry’s ambition to establish itself in the global marketplace. The Tatra Defence brand, comprising TDV, TDS, and TDP, is today one of the pillars of the CSG group’s activities in the field of land military equipment and, at the same time, the result of a strategic decision that fundamentally transformed the direction of the entire group.
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As CSG Vice Chairman David Chour explains, the establishment of Tatra Defence was directly linked to CSG’s ambition to transition from repairing older military equipment to developing its own modern vehicles: “It was established to develop new vehicles based on Tatra chassis. Until then, CSG’s defense division had focused almost exclusively on repairing older military equipment. The Strnad family decided they wanted to change that and, through Tatra Defence, begin developing and building new vehicles.” It was on this basis that projects such as the Pandur 8x8 and Titus gradually emerged, and the original company Tatra Defence Vehicle (TDV) has gradually grown since its founding in 2015 into today’s Tatra Defence brand, which includes, in addition to the parent company TDV, its subsidiaries Tatra Defence Systems (TDS) and Tatra Defence Projects (TDP). Since 2015, the companies under the Tatra Defence brand have undergone significant development and, in less than a decade, have transformed into an integrated industrial entity with a turnover exceeding five billion crowns.
As TDV CEO Tomáš Mohapl describes, the growth trajectory has been extraordinary: “From a small company that started out with about sixty employees and relatively low revenue, we have grown into a group that currently employs nearly 600 people, and our revenue last year exceeded five billion.” According to him, this development has been “quite rapid, dynamic, and fast.”
A defining feature of the Tatra Defence brand is its position within the holding company. Tatra Defence does not operate as an isolated manufacturer, but as an umbrella platform bringing together several specialized entities focused exclusively on military production. “We manufacture exclusively military vehicles; we are dedicated to the armed forces,” Mohapl emphasizes. While Tatra Defence was initially focused primarily on the Czech market, its focus has gradually shifted abroad. “Historically, we started in the Czech Republic, but as we gained experience and became successful, revenue from abroad has already significantly exceeded that from the Czech Republic this year,” adds the TDV director.
One of the key pillars of Tatra Defence is the production, integration, and development of military vehicles based on the Tatra platform for the Czech Army and other customers. In these projects, Tatra Trucks – whose shareholders include the CSG Group and Promet Group – acts as a subcontractor for chassis and engines. At its production facilities, Tatra Defence manufactures standard cabs for Tatra Force military vehicles, develops and manufactures armored cabs for these vehicles, designs and manufactures specialized superstructures, designs and integrates communication and other electronic systems, and performs final vehicle assembly.
The result is a range of comprehensive logistics and combat platforms that meet the requirements of the Czech Army and other armed forces in Europe and elsewhere to which Tatra Defence supplies them. Tatra Defence collaborates with leading global players in the industry. “We work very closely and in integrated teams with the largest companies in the defense sector,” says Mohapl.
A key component of Tatra Defence’s portfolio is the production of standard and armored cabs for Tatra vehicles intended for the Czech Army and other customers, which represents one of the company’s most significant production areas. As TDV Production Director Jiří Věžník explains, production is divided between two main locations: “Tatra Defence operates at two sites – in Nový Jičín and in Kopřivnice.” Nový Jičín focuses on the actual production of cabs, while Kopřivnice serves as the center for the final integration and assembly of Tatra Force military vehicles. “We bring the frame to the facility in Nový Jičín, onto which we then attach the cab panels.”
“And once the body shell is fully wrapped, it’s moved to Kopřivnice, where we have dedicated facilities for painting,” Věžník explains. After painting, the cabs return to Nový Jičín, where final assembly takes place, including, for example, window installation, wiring harness installation, electronic systems, cab interiors, instrument panels, control systems, etc. “Subsequently, the finished cab is returned to Nový Jičín, where further assembly operations take place so that we have the final cab product,” adds Věžník.
The reason for this division of production is primarily technological and also reflects the broader operating principle of the entire CSG group, as described by David Chour: “It’s about specialization. Tatra Trucks manufactures chassis, engines, and transmissions, and does not deal with superstructures. Tatra Defence and other companies within the CSG group use Tatra chassis as mobile platforms and mount a wide range of military applications and superstructures on them – from bridge-laying systems and rocket launchers to howitzers, air defense systems, radar systems, and other equipment. “You can’t specialize in everything.” According to him, it is precisely this division of labor that allows individual companies within the CSG group to develop their core competencies and jointly create the final product: “Not everyone can do everything, so it makes sense that Tatra Trucks focuses on the chassis to ensure it’s top-notch in the field and in demand for military platforms.”
Cabin production is logistically and technically complex – a single cabin consists of 800 to 1,500 components and involves, for example, the installation of cable harnesses up to three-quarters of a kilometer in length. Production capacity in Nový Jičín reaches up to twenty cabins per week. “Currently, we have a production capacity of up to 25 cabins per week and operate primarily on a single-shift basis, so we have the potential for further expansion,” explains Věžník. The military cabins themselves differ fundamentally from their civilian counterparts. “Militarizing the products requires a lot of modifications – from special connectors to ballistic protection. There are countless changes; it’s a completely different vehicle,” adds Chour. Production organization is based on a combination of several specialized facilities, with Kopřivnice remaining the key hub for final vehicle assembly and integration. It is here that the chassis, cab, body, and all technological components are combined into the final product. Employees of Tatra Defence companies handle not only production and assembly but also design work, documentation, and the design and system integration of individual systems – including communication technologies and specialized military superstructures – as well as systems and equipment used in special or classified operations.
Tatra Defence also stands out as a development-oriented company. It has a portfolio of more than twenty-five different vehicle modifications and is continuously working on expanding it further. The emphasis on innovation is also confirmed by the planned launch of new products. “Behind you is a vehicle that we deliberately did not show because we are still preparing its world premiere. It will be on display at the IDEB and Eurosatory trade fairs,” says TDV Director Tomáš Mohapl, hinting at the future direction of the Tatra Defence brand. From a business perspective, the company has been growing steadily over the long term. As David Chour confirms, “Tatra Defence is doing very well; it grows practically every year. Last year, it achieved sales of around five billion, and we believe that this year’s figure will be significantly higher and that growth will continue in the coming years.” Expanding production capacity is also expected to contribute to further development: “We are building a new facility that will span over 15,000 square meters across two sections. This will allow us to ramp up production for our partners – defense contractors for whom we will serve as subcontractors – and will support further growth.”
International cooperation is also a key part of the strategy. “We’ve won two major contracts, one for BAE Systems and one for KNDS. For KNDS, we’ll be manufacturing parts for their tanks not only for the Czech Army, but practically for the whole world. It is a huge success that such a major player is outsourcing part of its production to a competitor,” says Chour, adding that this also confirms the quality of Tatra Defence’s work. The company works with an extensive network of suppliers: “Suppliers from all over the world contribute to our products; there are thousands of parts.”
Despite global uncertainties, optimism remains in Kopřivnice. “So far, we haven’t seen any significant fluctuations that would threaten the continuity of production. Of course, it remains to be seen what global developments will bring, but I believe we won’t see a repeat of the situation we faced during the pandemic,” says Chour. He takes a similarly realistic view of strategic stockpiling: “It always comes down to money. Where you see risk, you stock up, but where you have multiple suppliers, there’s no reason to tie up capital.” CSG Vice Chairman of the Board David Chour shares a similarly positive outlook for the future: “I am an optimist. Tatra Defence brings us great joy, and I hope it will be a flagship not only for the CSG group but for the entire Czech industry – one we will be proud of and that will export products to many countries around the world,” concludes David Chour.
Combined with the results discussed by TDV Director Tomáš Mohapl – who states that this year will be more successful than last year and that both revenue and operating profit will grow – Tatra Defence is reaffirming its position as a technology-driven brand that combines Tatra’s traditional vehicle design platform with modern development, manufacturing, and systems integration, and significantly strengthens the position of the Czech defense industry in international markets.
