CAVS program and unified armored platform Patria 6x6 for the armies of Europe
Experienced platform Patria 6x6 on trials
In 2020, an international program for the development of a promising CAVS armored personnel carrier was launched. Initially, only two European countries participated in it, but by now the list of participants has grown. According to current plans and agreements, the new type of armored personnel carriers will be supplied to four armies in Europe, and another recently refused to participate. In addition, the possibility of the appearance of new participants in the program and customers is not ruled out.
Cooperation Agreements
In 2019, the Finnish company Patria Land Oy introduced a promising armored platform with the plain name Patria 6x6. It was created using developments from previous XA-180 and AMV projects. It was argued that the new project managed to combine the best features of existing machines and significantly reduce the cost of production and operation.
In December of the same year, Finland, Latvia and Estonia signed a letter of intent to develop advanced armored vehicles. They planned to develop a unified line of combat vehicles; for each country it was proposed to execute its own sample with certain features. Full contracts were expected to be signed in the near future.
Already at the end of January 2020, the Ministers of Defense of Finland and Latvia signed an official contract on joint work. Under the terms of the agreement, the Finnish side was to develop two new armored personnel carriers based on the Patria 6x6 platform that would meet the requirements of the two armies. It was planned to start mass production and deliveries of equipment in 2021.
A little later, at the beginning of April, Estonia officially joined the Finnish-Latvian program. She expressed her readiness to pay for the necessary design work, and then order up to a hundred serial armored vehicles. However, soon the Estonian leadership changed its mind, and they refused to continue participating in the program.
In October 2020, Finland and Latvia signed a new contract for development work. At this stage, the program was called CAVS Common Armored Vehicle System ("General Armored Vehicle System"), which is still used today.
In June 2022, the third participant again appeared in the CAVS program, it was Sweden. She also presented her own requirements for the performance and equipment of promising armored personnel carriers. Cooperation with Sweden continues successfully, and on April 17, 2023, a contract was signed for the serial production of armored personnel carriers for it.
Also in June last year, Germany expressed its intention to join the CAVS program. The real contract for participation in the work appeared a few days ago - on April 17th. Now the German side will take some part in the work, after which an order for serial equipment should appear.
Production plans
A cooperation agreement between Latvia and Finland appeared at the beginning of 2020, and in August 2021, the countries signed a framework agreement on the production of equipment. At the same time, the Latvian military department issued a contract to Patria for the supply of more than 200 new-type combat vehicles, as well as for the provision of related services. The total cost of the order is approx. 200 million euros.
Under the terms of the contract, deliveries of equipment were to begin as early as 2021. These plans were fulfilled, and in October of the same year, the first batch of Patria 6x6 was handed over to the Latvian army. New batches will be shipped to the customer annually. The last one is expected in 2029.
Finland is in no hurry to place an order. In August 2021, the Finnish Ministry of Defense and Patria signed a preliminary agreement on testing pre-production equipment and a possible order for 160 new armored personnel carriers. The contract was supposed to appear in 2023, after testing and necessary improvements.
In the summer of 2022, the Finnish army received three new types of armored vehicles for testing. As far as is known, they still remain at the landfills and demonstrate their capabilities, and also help determine the development of the design. At the same time, a contract for mass production has not yet been signed, and even the approximate dates for its appearance are unknown.
Therefore, Sweden became the second actual customer of the Patria 6x6. On April 17, she ordered 20 new armored vehicles, the first of which are expected this year. If the equipment fully suits the Swedish army, contracts for several hundred armored personnel carriers may appear. They are reported to be put into service under their own Swedish designation Pansarterrängbil 300.
Germany, in turn, is only holding consultations with the Finnish side and discussing the details of future agreements. A contract for serial equipment should appear in the foreseeable future. It is assumed that with the help of the new Patria 6x6 / CAVS armored personnel carriers, the German army will replace the existing TPz 1 Fuchs vehicles.
Unified family
According to the developer company, the Patria 6x6 platform was developed using the experience of previous projects. Judging by the appearance and characteristics, this vehicle can be considered a deep modernization of the older XA-220 armored personnel carrier, made using the developments under the AMV project. Competent selection of solutions and components made it possible to obtain a successful combination of technical and economic characteristics.
Patria 6x6 / CAVS is a three-axle armored combat vehicle for transporting people and goods, suitable for mounting various additional equipment. The total length of such an armored personnel carrier reaches 7,5 m, the combat weight is up to 24 tons. The payload reaches 8,5 tons, which allows using various additional modules and transporting 11 people, not counting the driver.
Experienced armored personnel carrier CAVS with a combat module
The platform is built on the basis of a load-bearing armored hull. The bow of the hull with a large area of glazing accommodates the control compartment with the driver's and commander's seats. Entrance is through the side doors. Behind the driver is the power plant, and the rear half of the hull is given over to the troop compartment with a stern entrance.
Rolled armor has level 2 protection according to the NATO STANAG 4569 standard and can withstand 7,62 mm machine gun bullets or fragments with limited energy. Overhead modules can be installed on top of the armor, increasing protection up to level 4 (14,5 mm caliber bullets or fragments from a shorter distance).
The platform is equipped with a 395 hp diesel engine. Automatic transmission provides all-wheel drive. The chassis has three axles with independent wheel suspension. Springs and hydraulic shock absorbers are used as elastic elements. The two front axles are steerable; There is a hydraulic power steering. Two water cannons are provided in the stern for movement through the water.
On the Patria highway 6x6 develops a speed of at least 100 km / h. Power reserve - more than 700 km. The machine is able to overcome various obstacles on land. On reservoirs up to 1,5 m deep, the car moves along the fords. With increasing depth, it can swim.
The platform can carry different weapons or special equipment. The promotional materials feature closed turrets with machine guns and full-fledged remotely controlled weapon stations. It is possible to install machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, small-caliber artillery, etc. In addition, the possibility of using a NEMO fighting compartment with a mortar in the turret is shown. Probably, at the request of the customer, specialized versions of the machine can also be produced - command and staff, sanitary, etc.
outdated modernity
The Patria 6x6 multi-purpose armored platform is of general interest. It shows how it is possible to develop a long-obsolete model in modern conditions. At the same time, it demonstrates the limitations of this approach and the potential problems associated with it.
Armored vehicle CAVS in the configuration for Finland
The armored vehicle is built on the basis of modern materials and components. It shows high technical characteristics, and in addition, it was possible to improve operational and economic aspects. Finally, the platform provides production benefits that are already being demonstrated. Several countries at once wished to purchase unified machines.
With all this, there are big doubts about the protection of machines. The own armor of the armored personnel carrier corresponds to only 2 levels of the NATO standard, which is clearly not enough for modern combat. Mounted modules improve protection, but do not completely solve the problem. To radically improve such characteristics, almost a complete redesign of the project is required.
The rest of the Patria 6x6 is a typical armored personnel carrier of the previous or latest generation. Capacity, driving characteristics, interchangeable weapons, etc. do not give fundamental differences from other modern or older armored personnel carriers.
Simple and cheap
Thus, the international European CAVS program is successfully developing and gradually yielding the desired results. The first production armored personnel carriers of the new type have been shipped to the customer, and new deliveries and new orders are expected soon. It is highly likely that in the end, Patria will receive and fulfill orders for hundreds of armored vehicles and make good money on it.
In this case, the whole situation looks very interesting. So, the Finnish industry has developed and brought to the market a new model of armored vehicles based on old designs and solutions, but at the same time simple and cheap. However, technical limitations, such as a low level of protection, did not confuse potential customers.
As a result, four countries are currently participating in the CAVS program, and the addition of new ones is not ruled out. However, it is not yet clear which other armies will compromise and choose inexpensive equipment with limited parameters. Moreover, it cannot be ruled out that no one else will dare to take such an ambiguous step.
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