Finland Agrees To Buy 29 More Patria 6x6s

The Finnish Army has agreed to purchase an additional 29 Patria 6x6 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).

The extra vehicles are being acquired under the terms of an additional purchase option which formed part of the contract signed in summer 2023. Under the terms of the original contract, Finland's Defence Forces Logistics Command agreed to purchase 91 APCs and related equipment, with the possibility of extending the deal to include a further 70 vehicles.

At the start of 2024 a further 41 6x6s were ordered; now the acquisition of the final 29 vehicles has been confirmed. All are expected to be produced and delivered by the end of 2025.

Chiefly designed for troop transport roles, the Patria 6x6 APC can also be configured for other combat support roles, including Command and Control (C2) and Medical Evacuation (Medevac). It can also serve as the base platform for the 120mm Patria Nemo mortar system.

In its standard APC configuration Patria 6x6 can accommodate up to ten soldiers in the rear plus a crew of two (driver and commander) in the front cabin. The all-wheel drive vehicle offers amphibious capabilities for water crossing and landing operations as an option. 

It was developed under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) program launched in 2020 by Finland, Estonia and Latvia, and joined in 2022 by Sweden and Germany, although Estonia later dropped out of the program.

Jussi Järvinen, head of Patria’s operations in Finland, commented: "Redemption of the entire domestic additional purchase option is remarkable for Patria and the whole international CAVS joint programme... [It} has progressed rapidly thanks to excellent cooperation between Patria and the participating countries.

"The joint programme between nations enables cost-effective vehicle development and lifecycle support, quick procurement, and equipment compatibility, strengthening defence cooperation in Europe.”

• You can read more details on the Patria website