GDELS –Steyr, Excalibur Army team for Pandur II
The Pandur II 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle family will be exclusively marketed, sold and serviced in the Czech Republic and other selected markets in Eastern Europe and Asia by Czech company Excalibur Army. Excalibur Army entered into an agreement in January with vehicle manufacturer, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) – Steyr, for this arrangement.
The collaboration will see vehicles manufactured under license at Excalibur Army sites in Czech Republic and Slovakia. GDELS -Steyr will support Excalibur Army’s activities with design services and component delivery.
Thomas Kauffmann, vice president international business and services, GDELS, said: ‘With this step we have established a sustainable collaboration with a trusted and capable partner, which has a significant industrial footprint in Czech Republic and Slovakia and also excellent market access to other export markets in Eastern Europe and Asia.
‘The transfer of technology and the local production of these vehicles with enormous export potential, presents real opportunity to the Czech and Slovak industry. It will prove our approach to be successful through international cooperation.’
Jaroslav Strnad, group owner, Excalibur, added: ‘For Excalibur Army this is a key strategic alliance with an international perspective which can raise Western technology know-how and production skills for the company even further than it is today.
‘Excalibur Group has a proven record in development, production, assembly and service of complete armoured vehicles and this partnership will improve this capability to an even higher standard.’
The collaboration will also see the companies jointly bid for the Czech Ministry of Defence requirement for 20 Pandur II 8x8 C2 vehicles to add to the 107 Pandur II 8x8 vehicles already in Czech service.
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