European defense conglomerate Czechoslovak Group (CSG) has officially unveiled the “Meander” heavy tracked amphibious transport vehicle during the Future Forces Forum 2026 defense exhibition in Prague.
Jointly developed by CSG subsidiary Excalibur Army and New Space Technologies (NST)—a member of the Krill Business Partners (KBP) group—the platform originates from a strategic memorandum signed at Eurosatory 2026. Derived from NST’s KALAN civil amphibious transport system currently undergoing operational trials with Czech emergency services, the Meander is re-engineered to fulfill NATO military logistical, tactical bridging, and river-crossing requirements in heavily contested, infrastructure-denied environments. Designed to transport personnel, heavy equipment, medium tactical trucks, or standard ISO cargo containers across marshlands, swamps, and rivers without pre-established pontoon infrastructure, the 33-tonne platform features a flat cargo deck, an electronic steer-by-wire system, and dual water-propeller propulsion units.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: CSG EXCALIBUR ARMY MEANDER TRACKED AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE
Developers & Industrial Roles
⚡ System Design & Military Requirements: Excalibur Army (part of CSG — Czechoslovak Group)
⚡ Technical Development & Production: New Space Technologies (NST — member of Krill Business Partners group)
⚡ Engine & Chassis Componentry: Tatra Defence Vehicle / TATRA TRUCKS 
Base Platform & Strategic Origin
⚡ Civil Baseline: Derived from NST KALAN amphibious firefighter/rescue vehicle
⚡ Program Timeline: Strategic MOU formalized at Eurosatory 2026; first functional prototype unveiled at Future Forces Forum 2026
Physical Parameters & Weight Class
💥 Overall Length: Exceeds 11.0 meters
💥 Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW): Up to 33,000 kg (33 tonnes) fully loaded
💥 Maximum Payload Capacity: 13,000 kg (13 tonnes) internal/deck load
💥 Crew Configuration: 2 core crew members (Driver and System Operator) + 1 additional operational commander
Propulsion, Power & Dynamic Kinematics
🚀 Engine Type: 12-cylinder air-cooled Tatra heavy diesel engine
🚀 Power Output: 440 kW (590 hp class)
🚀 Terrestrial Mobility: Tracked drive train delivering top road speeds up to 48 km/h
🚀 Aquatic Mobility: Dedicated water-propeller propulsion system generating water speeds of ~12 km/h
🚀 Flight Control & Avionics: Electronic steer-by-wire control system, integrated touchscreen diagnostic telemetry, and 360-degree situational awareness camera architecture
Payload Flex & Tactical Cargo Envelope
🚀 Cargo Deck Architecture: Open flatbed cargo deck featuring an electrically actuated 13-tonne load-bearing rear ramp
🚀 Troop Capacity: Up to 70 standing dismounted infantry troops
🚀 MEDEVAC Capacity: Up to 12 medical stretchers with attendant space
🚀 Vehicle & Container Logistics: Capable of embarking 1× medium-sized 4×4/6×6 military truck or 1× standard 20-foot ISO shipping container
🚀 Modular Configuration Options: Base transport, specialized engineer/recovery, command post, and armed combat variants with remote weapon stations (RWS)
TIMES OF DEFENCE ASSESSMENT
The unveiling of the CSG Meander amphibious vehicle at Future Forces Forum 2026 addresses a critical capability gap in eastern European and NATO wet-gap crossing logistics. Eastern European battlefields continuously demonstrate that destroyable static bridges and vulnerable pontoon crossings create severe bottlenecks for mechanized columns. Deploying a heavy-tracked transport capable of swimming a 13-tonne payload directly across wide rivers or marshlands gives commanders continuous, decentralized supply routes.
From an engineering perspective, the Meander leverages well-proven Czech defense components to maximize field reliability and simplify maintenance. Powered by a durable 440 kW air-cooled 12-cylinder Tatra engine, the vehicle avoids liquid-cooling radiator vulnerabilities during heavy amphibious maneuvers. Furthermore, by adapting the civil NST KALAN platform into a 33-tonne military chassis equipped with a load-bearing 13-tonne rear ramp and modern steer-by-wire controls, CSG provides land forces with an efficient, un-bridged logistics asset capable of moving combat teams, ISO supply containers, and medium tactical vehicles across impassable terrain.
