DAF and Tatra's 6x6 military truck with ballistic armoured cab
At DVD2026, the UK’s biennial defence industry exhibition organized at UTAC Millbrook on 16 and 17 September, DAF and Tatra will display state-of-the-art 6x6 and 8x8 military trucks. Both vehicles illustrate the successful cooperation of the companies in designing, manufacturing and servicing the best possible military trucks, offering unsurpassed off-road capabilities.

Unparallelled off-road capabilities
The DAF military trucks feature Tatra’s unique all-wheel-drive driveline and the central backbone tube with independently suspended swinging half axles. This, in combination with the outstanding Central Tyre Inflation System, ensures unrivalled off-road performance and exceptionally comfortable driving, even in the most challenging terrain.
 
Collaborative approach
DAF Trucks provides the engine, gearbox, cab, sales, service and parts network and the logistics support. Meanwhile, Tatra’s expertise is in the manufacture of heavy-duty off-road chassis – specifically designed for rough terrain, and ballistic cabs, creating a range of trucks ideally suited for military operations. The cooperation has just successfully completed the delivery of over nine hundred 4x4 and 8x8 trucks as part of a recent tender by the Belgian Ministry of Defence.

Made to order
The DAF and Tatra military vehicles produced under the collaboration can include a multitude of all-wheel-drive configurations: 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and even 10x10. Rigids can be supplied complete with bodywork such as cargo bodies, cranes, hook lifts and flat beds, whilst an 8x8 heavy tractor unit is designed for fast and efficient recovery of disabled vehicles during military operations. Trucks are built to order and are fully configurable
according to the requirements of national ministries of defence.
 

National production opportunities
Among the strengths of the advanced military trucks jointly offered by DAF and Tatra, is eventual local assembly at DAF Trucks’ UK ultra-modern manufacturing plant, Leyland Trucks. Leyland Trucks produces around 15,000 trucks per annum, including all civilian models of the DAF range. Almost all DAF vehicles registered in the UK are manufactured in Leyland, whilst around a third of annual production is exported to 40 countries worldwide.
 
Experts at DVD2026
DVD2026 will provide the platform for DAF and Tatra to showcase their expertise in military equipment and customer support. The display will include a 6x6 variant complete with armoured cab and cargo body, whilst an 8x8 model with civilian New Generation DAF cab and a body for carrying containers, will be available for demonstration rides and drives on Millbrook’s challenging off-road test track.
 
An exciting opportunity
“DAF has, for decades, been market leading in the UK, supplying trucks for a host of demanding applications," said Nigel Beckett, DAF Trucks’ Managing Director UK & Ireland. “This collaboration with Tatra, which is already delivering military all-wheel-drive vehicles into countries such as Belgium, now provides an exciting opportunity to extend our knowledge and expertise to support the UK forces with capable machinery that can tackle the most hostile environments.”