AVIC – Tatra deal to be signed in October when Zeman visits China?

Czech heavy vehicles manufacturer Tatra Trucks is negotiating to sell a manufacturing licence to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to produce at least 10,000 model TERR No 1 vehicles over a five-year period.

The vehicles would have both military and civilian applications, according to Czech defence industry sources.

Tatra Trucks was unwilling to specify the value of the licence sale, but local media reported it would total in the hundreds of millions of crowns (CZK100 million equates to USD5 million).

Officials from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and senior management at Tatra Trucks said they expect the final contract to be signed in October to coincide with an official visit to China by Czech President Milos Zeman.