APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110012-0
The Czechoslovak ammunition industry does not rely solely on copies of Soviet-produced ammunition, but has and continues to maintain a domestic design capability if improvement is required. This is understandable because the munitions industry has long been independent and highly regarded throughout the world, so much so that Nazi Germany simply confiscated the plants and continued production of Czechoslovak native designs. The ammunition research and development effort develops and produces large-caliber ammunition of virtually every size available to the Warsaw Pact countries. The quality of the ammunition and fuzing in many instances seems to rank above that produced by the U.S.S.R. This trend undoubtedly will continue into the foreseeable future. Research appears to be concentrated on the development of propellants and explosives, and work is underway on combustible cartridge cases. Czechoslovakia, one of the leading Communist countries in research and development of mine warfare equipment, has developed and produced a family of antitank and antipersonnel mines which employ conventional fuzing techniques.
Czechoslovakia has not developed an original tank design but has continued to modify Soviet medium tanks, manufactured under agreement with the U.S.S.R. OT-64 wheeled armored personnel carriers, possibly based on the Tatra 813 chassis, and armored reconnaissance vehicles employed by the Czechoslovak armed forces are similar in design and operational capability to their Soviet counterparts. These lightly armored vehicles were developed by the Czechoslovaks in collaboration with Polish and Hungarian engineers. The current in-service, full-tracked OT-62 armored personnel carrier is a copy of a Soviet counterpart vehicle with modifications to meet Czechoslovakia's specific mission requirements. Reportedly, the nation also produces a version of the latest known Soviet full-tracked infantry combat vehicle.
Czechoslovakia is capable of performing research and development necessary for the production of military motor transport vehicles ranging from light to heavy duty trucks. Research and development for the Czechoslovak automotive industry were conducted by the Automotive Research Institute, with research on military vehicles being the responsibility of the Military Technical Institute under the Ministry of National Defense. Most research work is performed at the research facilities of the Skoda, Tatra, and Praga plants, which have good equipment and staffs. Vehicle design is geared to provide military transport vehicles of improved performance and mobility. This is evidenced by the utilization of such items as tire inflation systems, locking differentials, wide-profile tires, power braking, power steering, and high power-to-weight ratios in vehicle designs.
The Soviet Gaz (Uaz)-69 is the only foreign vehicle used by the Czechoslovak armed forces; it and the Tatra 805, a 1.5-ton 4x4 truck, are the only gasoline-fueled military trucks in Czechoslovakia. All other trucks are diesel fueled. Current research projects involve continuing development of the Tatra 813 and Tatra 148 families of vehicles and product improvement in current production of trucks in the medium-load range. Feasibility studies are continuing on unconventional design, high mobility, and off-road vehicles in the light to medium-load range. Engine research programs include multifuel engine development, direct injection air-cooled diesels, and a gas turbine for heavy trucks.
Research and development in military engineer equipment are broadly based, and Czechoslovakia is the only Warsaw Pact country that has developed a family of river-crossing equipment independently of the U.S.S.R. This equipment includes reconnaissance and assault boats, powerboats, light and heavy bridges, tank-launched scissor bridges, and Bailey-type panel bridges. Most recently the Czechoslovaks have displayed a new multispan truck-launched bridge mounted on the Tatra 813. The bridge appears superior to the similar Soviet TMM model. Fixed bridges of fiberglass and aluminum reportedly are under development. In other types of engineer equipment, the country has a considerable capability for the development of virtually all types of engineer construction equipment. Actual research activities, however, have been curtailed in this area because of budgetary limitations.
The Czechoslovak Army has an impressive capability for surveying, photomapping, and topographic mapping, primarily in support of artillery and missile units. Most of the equipment in service is of Soviet, Hungarian, or East German origin. The Czechoslovaks have built special-purpose mobile mapping vans based on the Praga V3s truck. These mobile vans include photo lab, photo compilation, and map reproduction models. Some research is conducted by the Military Topographic Institute and the Military Geographic Institute.
Among the Communist countries, Czechoslovakia is second only to the U.S.S.R. in the development and production of military and sport parachutes. Czechoslovakia relies more and more on its own research institutes, with major efforts being made in the development of synthetic fibers and plastics with
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110012-0
