Autonomous rescue vehicle Taros Medic: VOP CZ unveils its new system at NATO Days in Ostrava

Vojenský Opravárenský Podnik (VOP CZ) is bringing several new products, but also proven equipment, to this year’s NATO Days in Ostrava (Dny NATO v Ostravě). The Czech military company’s central exhibit is Taros Medic – an autonomous rescue vehicle that the general public will see here for the first time.

Autonomous rescue vehicle based on Taros

Taros Medic is based on the fourth generation of the Taros platform; the vehicle thus expands the family of unmanned systems developed by VOP CZ. Its development drew on lessons and experience from current conflicts as well as on what modern battlefields demand. The unmanned system is intended to transport and evacuate the wounded safely from dangerous areas, so that soldiers and medical personnel are exposed to less risk under combat conditions.

Leopard 2A4, Iveco cabin and Bushmaster

VOP CZ will present itself at NATO Days with its own stand. Exhibits include a Leopard 2A4, whose maintenance for the Czech Armed Forces the company carries out together with Rheinmetall, a German defence group. Also on display is the armoured cabin of an Iveco GTF3 – VOP CZ has taken over its production on behalf of KNDS, a company from Germany.

The company is also present at the dynamic displays, where the armoured Bushmaster from Thales appears for the first time. VOP CZ and Thales have an agreement under which Bushmaster vehicles for Central and Eastern Europe are produced at the Šenov plant near Nový Jičín (-> Czech Republic: VOP CZ builds Bushmaster vehicles for Europe). Nine armed forces worldwide currently use the platform; it has been deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali and Ukraine, among others.

The exhibition is rounded off by a careers zone and a chill-out zone in which the event programme is broadcast live. For the youngest guests there is, among other things, a photo booth and face painting.

NATO Days are a unique opportunity for us to present to the public not only the equipment and technologies we are working on, but also the people behind them— CEO Vlastimil Navrátil

As Navrátil (-> Interview with Vlastimil Navrátil) went on to explain, the company wants to show that VOP CZ is developing projects that are as important for the Czech Armed Forces as they are for foreign partners.

Background: the event in Ostrava

NATO Days in Ostrava (Dny NATO v Ostravě) is one of Europe’s largest events in the security and military sector. Held annually since 2001, the event combines air show elements of international format with large-scale displays by military, security and rescue forces. Together with the Czech Air Force Days, it regularly attracts well over 100,000 visitors.