Prague is moving toward a major armored fleet renewal, with plans to procure over 250 new armored personnel carriers to replace the Czech Army’s Pandur II 8×8 vehicles. Tatra Defence Vehicle’s locally produced Pandur 8×8 EVO has emerged as a frontrunner in the process.
A feasibility study submitted in December 2025 set out acquisition pathways and indicated a program value running into “tens of billions of crowns,” as reported by Aktuálně. The decision follows a 2024 move to abandon upgrades of the existing 127 Pandur II vehicles—fielded since the 2000s—and pursue a full replacement instead.
Now under military evaluation, the study will inform a formal government recommendation, though officials say detailed findings will remain classified. A related market consultation with European defense manufacturers—including Artec, Patria, and General Dynamics European Land Systems—identified Artec’s Boxer and Patria’s AMV XP as alternative candidates.
Alongside these, the Czech-developed Pandur 8×8 EVO remains a key option. The chosen platform will be assigned to the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, the country’s main mechanized infantry contribution to NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Gen. Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff, said the new vehicle must comply with NATO operational standards, support mid-life modernization, and ensure long-term affordability. Subject to approval, deliveries could begin from 2029 onward.
