Tatra – The Truck That Takes You Further

[kscarbel2]

Established in 1850 and at one time a producer of aircraft and automobiles, the Czech Republic’s Tatra builds some of the most rugged and versatile trucks in the world.

The off-road capabilities of Tatra trucks are such that Oshkosh looks onto the European company with envy.

The U.S. military has operated Tatras overseas. Initial units were donated by the Czech Republic to the U.S. Army (T815s operated by the 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment) as their contribution in Operation Desert Storm. The U.S. Army was so impressed with their Tatras that they later purchased more in the U.S. from the American Truck Company (ATC), a joint venture created by Terex who for a time held a majority interest in Tatra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvtckL1XG40

One of the many unique aspects of Tatra’s engineering that you will find of interest is the use of a central load-carrying tube, and axles with independently suspended swinging half-axles, that are bolted together into a single integral unit.

http://www.tatratrucks.com/why-tatra/tatra-vehicle-design/tatra-vehicle-design-1/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjLtO5msx1M

http://www.tatratrucks.com/

http://www.offroadtrucks.com.au/tatra-in-action/

In 2009, Navistar Defense and Tatra formed an alliance. In 2010, they won a bid from the Canadian Department of National Defense Standard Military Pattern (SMP) vehicle program to replace Canada’s Medium Logistics truck fleet.

http://www.navistardefense.com/staticfiles/navistardefense/vehicles/atx/ATX.pdf

http://www.navistardefense.com/NavistarDefense/vehicles/atx/atx_6

http://www.navistardefense.com/navistardefense/vehicles/atx/atx_8

[james j neiweem]

Mack is no competition to Navistar-Tatra/oskosh.

[kscarbel2]

Mack is no competition to Navistar-Tatra/oskosh.

In order to have a chance at selling to the U.S. military, it was necessary for foreign truckmaker Volvo Group to create a shell company in the U.S., and hence the birth of the Mack Defense unit of Volvo Group Trucks Sales & Marketing Americas.

Mack Defense's entire range of tactical vehicles is from Renault Trucks Defense (http://www.renault-t...e.com/en/range/), a wholly owned Volvo Group subsidiary since December 2012.

I don't expect the U.S. Department of Defense to walk away from Oshkosh, Navistar or other American suppliers any time soon to purchase French military vehicles from a Swedish truckmaker.