Tasman military command vehicle, light tactical truck among exhibits

Kia's exhibition hall at Eurosatory 2026 [Provided by Kia]
Kia's exhibition hall at Eurosatory 2026 [Provided by Kia]

Kia announced Monday that it is participating in Eurosatory 2026, the world's largest defense industry exhibition, to showcase its military vehicle lineup.

This year's Eurosatory runs Monday through Friday at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition center in France. Founded in 1967 and held every two years, the show this year draws more than 2,300 companies from 66 countries presenting advanced defense technologies and equipment.

Kia's participation marks its return to the event for the first time since 2016. The automaker plans to use the exhibition to promote its full lineup of special-purpose vehicles — ranging from light to heavy — to the global market.

Vehicles on display include the Tasman military command vehicle, a light special-purpose model; a two-seat cargo variant of the Kia Light Tactical Vehicle (KLTV); and scale models of the next-generation Korea Medium Tactical Vehicle (KMTV) and a large standard vehicle.

The Tasman military command vehicle is a pickup truck-based model combining strong off-road capability with military-specific features such as radio equipment and blackout lighting systems. Deployed as the standard command vehicle of the South Korean armed forces since last year, it has drawn attention in overseas markets including Europe as well as at home.

The light tactical vehicle can navigate 60-percent longitudinal grades and 40-percent lateral grades, and is capable of fording waterways up to 760 millimeters deep. It protects occupants from bullets and explosives and can operate in extreme cold down to minus 32 degrees Celsius.

The vehicles on display are also fitted with a snorkel system featuring a raised air intake and an engine cooling system to enhance wading capability, allowing operation across diverse environments including deserts, tropical rainforests and mountainous terrain.

Kia supplies its light tactical vehicle not only to the South Korean military but also to countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. It was recently selected as the new standard vehicle of the Polish armed forces, further validating its product quality.

The next-generation KMTV can ford rivers up to 1 meter deep, handle 60-percent longitudinal and 40-percent lateral grades, and transport up to 25 personnel or 10 tons of cargo over rough terrain. The large standard vehicle is designed for loading, transporting and unloading heavy cargo at scale.

"Unlike 10 years ago, when our exhibition centered on the light tactical vehicle, this year we are presenting new KLTV derivative models recognized by global customers for their product quality, along with a full lineup of special-purpose vehicles from light to heavy — which makes this participation especially meaningful," a Kia official said. "Going forward, we will draw on more than 50 years of special-purpose vehicle development experience to build customized models for military customers and present our vision for the future of military mobility."

Kia made its debut last month at BSDA (Black Sea Defense, Aerospace & Security) 2026, a leading defense exhibition covering Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region, where it displayed a range of military vehicles — continuing its push to raise the profile of its military mobility capabilities on the international stage.


eyre@heraldcorp.com