The new Czech Pandur 8x8 EVO armoured vehicle was one of the biggest attractions at the IDET 2025 trade fair
The unveiling of the new Pandur 8x8 EVO vehicle from Tatra Defence Vehicle (TDV) took place on the first day of the trade fair. The ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the Ministry of Defence, led by Minister Jana Černochová, who christened the vehicle and, together with the guests, wished it every success in the future and confirmed that it is one of the main candidates for the rearmament of the Czech Army: ‘I am glad that so much military equipment, which is also important for our self-sufficiency, is manufactured in the Czech Republic. I have always been in favour of our ministry supporting Czech industry not only by promoting it abroad, but also by purchasing our products.’ The CSG Group's stand was also visited by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, who was interested in the innovations exhibited by individual companies, including the new Pandur 8x8 EVO.
The launch of the Pandur 8x8 EVO vehicle was attended by representatives of the Czech defence industry, led by Lubomír Kovařík, Chairman of the Defence Industry Section of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, and other invited guests. Lubomír Kovařík emphasised the economic benefits of manufacturing military vehicles such as the Pandur in the Czech Republic: "All these products have a multiplier effect on the Czech economy. We have calculated that the multiplier effect is at level 2, and for cutting-edge technologies such as Pandur, it is as high as 3, which is undoubtedly something that significantly strengthens the Czech economy." The importance of the Pandur 8x8 EVO wheeled armoured vehicle, developed and manufactured in the Czech Republic, was also underlined by the prestigious Zlatý IDET 2025 award.
The Pandur 8x8 EVO platform is designed with an emphasis on increased ballistic and mine protection for the crew and the vehicle itself, which features state-of-the-art electronic and communication systems and high combat effectiveness. The Pandur 8x8 EVO also features electronic situational awareness systems based on artificial intelligence technology, which allow the vehicle's crew to better perceive the overall situation on the battlefield, and the Iron Fist active protection system, which is capable of detecting anti-armour ammunition, guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, and can also effectively destroy them.
"The Pandur 8x8 EVO offers a high level of passive and active crew protection, which sets our vehicle apart from the previous generation. Passive protection alone is not enough on today's battlefield. This entire new vehicle functions as a system, integrating all modern technologies and drawing on the knowledge we have been able to implement thanks to our experience on today's battlefields. This is not just a new vehicle, it is an entire new-generation platform," said TDV CEO Tomáš Mohapl.
Modern Technologies and Armament of the New Czech Armored Vehicle
“The Pandur 8x8 EVO features advanced ballistic and mine protection that meets the highest military standards for this vehicle class. It also includes top-tier electronics and communications equipment, as well as an AI-based situational awareness system. This system helps vehicle crews better understand battlefield dynamics, evaluate combat scenarios, and receive early warnings of threats,” explained Radomír Smolka, TDV’s Director of Research and Development.
The modular Pandur 8x8 EVO platform allows for various configurations – combat, command, communications, fire support, air defense, engineering, and more. At IDET 2025, the Pandur 8x8 EVO will be presented as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) with an unmanned weapon station with a 30mm cannon. This weapon station will be manufactured in the Czech Republic thanks to the transfer of technological know-how from an Israeli partner to TDV.
The main armament consists of a 30 mm Mk.44S Bushmaster II automatic cannon with electrical stabilization. Additional armament consists of a coupled machine gun and a pair of Spike anti-tank guided missiles in a separate launcher. The weapon station is equipped with fully stabilized optoelectronic sights for the commander and gunner with automatic target tracking, both sights also include a high-resolution daytime TV camera and a thermal imaging camera for night or poor weather conditions, the commander's has a panoramic view.
Lessons from the Ukrainian Battlefield
TDV engineers incorporated real-world experience from the war in Ukraine into the vehicle’s design. The Pandur 8x8 EVO can defend itself against drones using programmable ammunition fired from its cannon and through the Iron Fist system. Originally developed to counter anti-tank missiles, Iron Fist has proven effective against attack drones as well. The system uses electronically scanned radar sensors to detect threats, which may be supported by infrared sensors or active jamming technology. Threats are neutralized using a pair of dual-rotating launchers with defensive munitions mounted on the weapon station. A more powerful powerpack ensures high mobility, enabling the vehicle to quickly retreat from danger zones. The Pandur 8x8 EVO is also equipped with its own UAV, which can be used for reconnaissance or as guided munition.
