The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) are set to purchase heavy Patria 6x6 armored vehicles from Patria within the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) program, the defense, security, and aviation life cycle support services provider company said in a press release Friday.
“The heavy armored vehicle variants deviate from Patria 6x6 basic vehicle variants with a higher protection rate and firepower, which enables better cover, for example, in crisis management tasks. The heavy armored Patria 6x6 vehicle with remote weapon systems is the end result of R&D teamwork of several countries,” Jussi Järvinen, executive vice Head of Patria’s Finland Division was quoted as saying in the company statement.
The Logistics Command of the FDF will start the procurement of the heavy armored personnel carriers as authorized by the Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, the statement added.
The first batch of the procurement will encompass acquiring a single pre-production vehicle along with 20 Kongsberg remote weapon stations to be incorporated into the vehicles. Additionally, the acquisition will offer the possibility of acquiring 18 more vehicles, along with provisions for outfitting, maintenance, spare parts, and training.
The CAVS program, which commenced in 2020, currently includes Latvia, Sweden, and Germany apart from Finland.
Some 700 Patria 6x6 vehicles have so far been ordered within the program.
The Patria 6x6 boasts modularity and top-notch performance while remaining straightforward, durable, and cost-effective, making it ideal for deployment in sizable fleets.
The Patria 6x6 is primarily intended for troop transport duties as an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), yet it can be adapted for various other combat support functions. These include serving as a Company Command vehicle, Medical Evacuation vehicle, Heavy APC, and even accommodating the 120mm Patria Nemo mortar system.
