The Tatrapan armoured all-terrain vehicle was originally developed as a private venture by Podpolianske Strojarne Detva and is based on the chassis of the Tatra T-815 VP 21 265 6 × 6 1R all-terrain military truck.

This chassis has been fitted with a fully enclosed armoured driver's cab to the rear of which has been mounted a fully enclosed box-type armoured superstructure which can be used for a wide range of military roles.

A small production batch of Tatrapan all-terrain vehicles have been built as command post/artillery fire-control vehicles for use with the Zuzana 155 mm/45 (8 × 8) calibre self-propelled artillery systems now in service with Slovakia. Cyprus has taken delivery of 12 Zuzana systems but as far as it is known, has none of these Tatrapan command post vehicles. Description

The all-welded steel armoured forward control cab has a single forward-opening door in either side provided with a window, which can be covered by armoured shutters if required. In each side of the hull to the immediate rear of the side door is a circular firing port.

The all-welded steel armour hull of the Tatrapan provides the occupants with protection from 7.62 mm armour-piercing small arms fire and shell splinters. Special protection is provided against attack from mines.

To the front of the driver and passenger is a windscreen which, when in a combat area, can be covered by horizontal armoured shutters.

The cab is also provided with a roof hatch and to the rear of the driver and commander is a folding couch. A 7.62 mm PKT machine gun can be mounted on the roof of the cab for local and anti-aircraft defence.

The front cab is also provided with communications equipment, heating, ventilating and filtration equipment and an air conditioning system. For access to the power pack the front cab is tiltable under hydraulic control and can be mechanically locked.

The rear unit is of all-welded armour construction, which provides protection from small arms fire and shell splinters. It is fitted with an NBC system, heaters and is lined with thermo-insulating materials, as is the cab.

In the rear is a large door that opens to the left, which is provided with a firing port and there is an additional side door in the lower part of the hull between the second and third axles. It is believed that the complete rear door is from the Russian BMP-1 full-tracked infantry combat vehicle.

Three hatches are provided in the roof and on the centre one can be mounted a 12.7 mm NSV machine gun.

Standard equipment includes power-assisted steering on the front axles and a central tyre pressure-regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tyre pressure to suit the type of ground being crossed. A fire detection and suppression system is fitted as standard for the power pack and fuel tank areas. Variants

Two models have been produced for the Zuzana 155 mm/45 calibre self-propelled artillery systems in service with the Slovak Republic.

The Delsys operates at the brigade, battalion and battery level while the second vehicle, the Bazus, provides the C3 element for the Zuzana batteries.

The manufacturer has suggested the following possible roles for the Tatrapan (6 × 6) armoured vehicle:

• Personnel carrier

• Command post vehicle

• Patrol vehicle

• Supply vehicle (with or without an hydraulic crane for loading purposes)

• Ammunition vehicle

• Recovery vehicle

• Mobile workshop

• Ambulance

• Police vehicle

• United Nations missions

• Mortar vehicle

• Transport for pilots and other aircrew

This is being offered for export and is for use at battery, regiment and brigade command levels.

For use with the 2K12 Kub (SA-6 'Gainful') surface-to-air missile systems used by Slovakia, ALES and the VTU Military Technical Institute have developed a new air defence mobile command post, which is now fully operational.

This is known as Mobile Velitelske Stanovisko-mobile command post (MOVES) and is part of the LETVIS Radar Data Processor (RDP) programme. This was previously called the Tatrapan-PVO. This receives information from other sources such as the PRV-16 and P18 radars. It is equipped with GPS, five workstations and a generator to power onboard electrical equipment. It will probably replace the obsolete K-1 control system.

The Tatrapan armoured all-terrain vehicle is based on a modified Tatra 6 × 6 series cross-country truck chassis. The Tatra 8 × 8 truck chassis has also been fitted with an armoured cab and is being offered for a variety of specialised battlefield missions such as a cargo carrier.

In addition to being used for the current Zuzana 155 mm/45 calibre self-propelled artillery system the chassis was also used for the 122 mm Dana self-propelled artillery system. Production of this was completed some time ago but it remains in service with a number of countries. These include the Czech Republic, Libya, Poland Slovakia.