Latvian Army Takes Delivery Of First Home-Produced Armoured Personnel Carrier
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The first Patria 6x6 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) constructed at Latvia's new factory in Valmiera has been handed over to its armed forces.
Back in 2021 the Latvian government signed a deal with the Finnish manufacturer to purchase more than 200 such vehicles to be delivered by 2029 as part of the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) Program.
CAVS was a 2020 accord that was initially agreed between Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, with Sweden and Germany coming on board in 2022.
The Patria 6×6 APC's main function is troop transport, but it can also be configured for a variety of other roles as well. Optional features include amphibious capabilities, a winch, and upgraded armour. In terms of weaponry, the platform can carry weapons ranging from a machine gun with a calibre of up to 25/30mm and Patria's Nemo 120mm turreted mortar.
The new vehicle was handed over on Monday, August 5 in an official ceremony at the Camp Ādaži military base just north-east of the nation's capital Riga in central Latvia. The event was attended by the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia Andris Sprūds.
The Valmiera facility opened in May and is aiming to produce around 30 Patria 6x6 APCs each year. The Finland-based defence firm has secured orders for close on 700 such vehicles under CAVS; so far around 200 have been delivered.
Uģis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board of Defence Partnership Latvia and Patria Latvia, commented: “Over the past four years since Latvia's involvement in the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme, we have reached the most significant milestone of the project – the delivery of the first armoured personnel carrier full-cycle produced in Latvia to the National Armed Forces (NAF).
"With the opening of the Valmiera plant in May, we are focusing on the Latvian armoured personnel carrier order, but we are also actively working to implement other NAF capability development projects in our factory, thereby strengthening both NAF combat capabilities and the Latvian industry and economy as a whole.”
Read more on Patria's website