Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS)
The Ministry of Defence of Finland and the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany signed a Statement of Intent regarding Germany joining the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) on 14 June 2022. The countries will enter into negotiations to finalise the accession of Germany to the program. Furthermore, the countries will continue discussions regarding the development and procurement of armoured vehicles in the framework of the programme.
CAVS is a collaborative multinational programme aimed at developing an armoured vehicle system based on the common requirements of the countries involved. Currently Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden are participants in the programme. Patria's 6x6 vehicle has earlier been chosen as the chassis platform for the common research and development programme.
To date, the R&D work has yielded a common platform and an APC variant that meet the common requirements set by the programme participants. The programme remains open for new countries to join.
Finland, Latvia, and Patria signed a framework agreement 30 August 2021 that enabled national procurement acquisitions in the CAVS (Common Armoured Vehicle System) armoured wheeled vehicle programme. The armoured wheeled vehicle programme of the Army (PSAJON2020) started in 2019 as multinational collaboration activity together with Latvia and Estonia. Last autumn, the programme proceeded with Latvia to the research and product development phase called CAVS.
Developing the wheeled mobility of the most capable operational forces of the Army well into the 2060s, the programme will also allow reassigning the currently fielded modernised XA-180M equipment to the local troops.
A significant milestone was reached on 30 August 2021, as the Finnish and Latvian Ministries of Defence and Patria signed a framework agreement in Riga, Latvia, for establishing common conditions for the participating countries relating to the procurement phase of the programme. Following the framework agreement, the national procurement contracts can be signed by the participating countries within their national timetables.
On the same occasion, Latvia ordered the first lot of more than 200 armored personnel carriers. Additionally, a letter of intent was signed by the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Patria for commissioning 160 new armoured personnel carriers in 2023 with cost-efficiency allowed by the joint undertaking.
"Finland aims to order the pre-series vehicles this year, whereas the serial procurement is to follow the timetable set in the letter of intent signed by the Ministry of Defence to start as of 2023,"" Inspector of Infantry, Colonel Rainer Peltoniemi said. Decisions on procurement will be separately determined.
To date, the research and product development phase of the CAVS programme has resulted in a common platform and an APC variant. Product development continues relating to a command post vehicle, a life-cycle package, and an increasingly protected APC variant. In conjunction, it is possible that also other vehicle variants get to be designed and developed depending on the needs of the participating countries. The programme remains open for other countries to join.
"This marks an important opening. The drawn up and signed framework agreement enables moving on to the procurement phase of the APC variant. Latvia had an opportunity to make the first procurement purchases at this stage. Finland’s procurement acquisitions are planned to be implemented in accordance with the development plan during the period from 2023 to 2032,"" Inspector of Infantry Colonel Rainer Peltoniemi from the Army Command summarised.
After the project progressed to the research and product development phase in autumn 2020, Latvia was the first to order more than 200 APCs on 30 August 2021 (Patria delivered the first at the end of October, and deliveries are expected to go through 2029). Meanwhile, the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Patria have signed a letter of intent on ordering 160 new such vehicles for Finland in 2023. As for prices, Latvia’s APCs are expected to cost around €1 million each, with Finland’s likely higher as they are requesting a more advanced version of the vehicles. Sweden’s contractual arrangements and the specific timeframe remain to be discussed, but the first vehicles are expected to be delivered in 2025 at the earliest.
Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen on 02 June 2023 authorised the Defence Forces to procure armoured 6x6 personnel carriers from Patria. A total of 91 armoured personnel carriers with equipment will be procured for the Army. In addition to the vehicles, user and maintenance training are included in the procurement, which also includes a provision to procure more vehicles, at the most 70.
The serial procurement is carried out as part of the international CAVS project (Common Armoured Vehicle System), led by Finland, which also includes Latvia, Sweden and Germany. In cooperation with Patria, the countries will develop a wheeled armoured vehicle system that meets the common requirements for Patria's 6x6 armoured vehicle platform and includes several vehicle versions, including the personnel carrier to be purchased now.
"The procurement will develop the mobility of the Army with domestically manufactured vehicles. They are ideal for Finnish conditions and are highly cost-effective throughout their life cycle", said Minister Kaikkonen. The overall value of the procurement, without value added tax, is about EUR 208 million and the domestic employment effect will be about 180 person-years. Vehicle deliveries will begin during 2023.
From Finland's perspective, the project will enhance the mobility capabilities of wheeled vehicles of the Army until the 2060s. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Defence and Patria on ordering new personnel transport vehicles was signed in 2021.
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