Supacat begins building HMT Extenda vehicles for Czechia’s special forces

Production commenced on the HMT Extenda vehicles being supplied by Supacat to the Czech Republic’s Special Operations Forces (SOF), marking the latest milestone in the programme ahead of vehicle deliveries throughout 2027.

The programme follows the contract signing between Supacat and Czech partner LPP, in October 2025, to supply HMT Extenda platforms to the Czech Army’s 601st Special Forces Group, representing a significant step in strengthening UK-Czech defence cooperation, whilst expanding Supacat’s presence across the European defence market.

Pre-production activities for the 6×6 HMT Extenda variant began in June, with production progressing in line with the programme schedule. Vehicle deliveries are due to commence next year and continue throughout 2027.

How production in Devon will support skilled UK jobs and sovereign industrial capability

Supacat’s recently opened new manufacturing facility at Dunkeswell, Devon, has become the production home for the Czech programme, further strengthening the company’s UK manufacturing capability while supporting highly skilled jobs and reinforcing resilient sovereign defence supply chains.

Miroslav Žižka, Managing Director at LPP, said: “A joint team, consisting of the LPP project team and specialists from the Czech Special Forces, visited the new production facility earlier this year. This was the team’s first visit since production of the HMT Extenda began and the main purpose of the visit was to familiarise the members of the joint team with the current status of combat vehicle production.

“LPP and Supacat have been collaborating on this project for several years now, and communication between us is close. I would like to thank Director Phil Applegarth and his team for their dedication to the Czech project and for meeting the vehicle delivery deadlines.”

An adaptable design to meet changing mission and interoperability requirements

The HMT Extenda provides a unique modular capability, allowing operators to rapidly convert the platform between 4×4 and 6×6 configurations to meet changing mission requirements. Already in service with a number of allied nations, the platform has established a strong reputation for mobility, payload capacity and operational flexibility in demanding environments.

Phil Applegarth, Director at Supacat, said: “The start of the Czech production marked an important milestone for the delivery of this programme. We continue to remain on track to deliver the programme as scheduled, reflecting the maturity of the HMT Extenda platform and the dedication of the teams involved. We also look forward to other export vehicle programmes being produced in the near future.

“This programme supports our long-term strategy of expanding our presence across Europe by working with trusted local partners to deliver proven mobility solutions to allied nations. At the same time, manufacturing these vehicles from our new facility at Dunkeswell supports the UK MoD’s Land Industrial Strategy, strengthening UK defence industrial capability, supporting British jobs and reinforcing a resilient domestic defence supply chain.

“As European nations continue to invest in modernising their armed forces, programmes such as this demonstrate the value of combining sovereign UK engineering expertise with strong international partnerships.”

The Czech programme is a part of Supacat’s continued international growth and expertise in delivering high-mobility platforms to armed forces around the world, whilst supporting NATO interoperability and sovereign industrial capability.