Latvia - Patria 6x6
Latvia is the only Eastern European country without its own armored personnel carriers, therefore the weak point of our army is the lack of these vehicles, the Commander of the National Armed Forces (NAF) Leonids Kalninš admitted to LETA. In late 2020, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (AP) together with Finnish Defense Minister Anti Kaikonen and Patria Land Oy President Jusi Jarvinen signed an agreement on research and development of a common 6x6 armored vehicle system based on Patria vehicles. The solution for the development of an armored personnel carrier in cooperation with Finland was chosen because most of the companies from other countries did not respond to Latvia's offers.
"The main task of wheeled armored personnel carriers is to move soldiers quickly and efficiently over much longer distances than can be offered by the crawler combat vehicles at the disposal of the NAF. This automatically means more efficient planning of operations and national defense. the vehicles are unarmed, so they can be easily destroyed," explained Kalnins. Although several years ago the NAF decided on the need to buy 4x4 armored cars, last year the competition failed. Kalnins explained that ideally the NAF would need 4x4 armored vehicles, 6x6 armored personnel carriers and 8x8 armored personnel carriers, but financially Latvia can afford only one of these types of vehicles. After the failure of the 4x4 vehicle competition, the NAF specialists concluded that it would be more efficient to buy 6x6 armored personnel carriers now.
The machine to be developed for the Latvian and Finnish armies will be modern enough and with a high level of protection. It is possible to include machine guns, anti-tank weapons and grenade launchers already at the disposal of the NAF in its armament. "However, I would like to remind you that the armored personnel carrier is not an attack weapon, but its task is to deliver a unit of soldiers to the destination quickly and efficiently. This vehicle also has other tasks and functions. One such armored personnel carrier can transport 8-12 soldiers. machines, respectively, it is possible to transport a smaller number of soldiers," pointed out Kalnins.
Although Estonia had joined the original project in addition to Latvia and Finland, this country eventually withdrew from further participation. Kalnins does not think that Estonia's refusal will affect the development of this project and the potential purchase agreement. "The army of the Estonian army already has an older model of the Patria armored car, but I do not know the reasons why the neighboring country refused to participate in the project," the NAF commander added.
The joint development of six-wheeled armored personnel carriers implemented by Latvia and Finland will not only provide better protection for soldiers, but will also ensure faster development of both countries' military industry and economic benefits by joining new participants in the armored personnel carrier development program. Thus, presenting the prototype of the “Patria 6x6” armored personnel carrier developed jointly for the needs of the Latvian and Finnish Armed Forces, the representatives of the management of the defense industry of both countries emphasized.
State Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Defense, Juka Justi, admitted that there is currently no supply of armored vehicles in the international market that would meet the operational requirements of both the Finnish and Latvian Armed Forces. Currently, in the joint research process on the development of a six-wheel armored personnel carrier, modifications of two types of machines are being worked on - a variant intended for the transportation of combatants, as well as the creation of a mobile command center.
The new armored personnel carrier model, which is being developed by the Finnish company Patria according to the specific requirements of the Latvian and Finnish armed forces. A new type of armored personnel carrier is needed by the armed forces of both countries, although the compliant offer in the class of such vehicles in the world is not large. Given that the Finnish company Patria already has experience in the development and production of this type of equipment, its representatives have come up with an offer, the basic model of which satisfies both parties at least for the time being, bringing the countries closer to a possible supply contract.
If Patria is able to meet the requirements of the Latvian defense industry and the procurement decision is positive, such machines could end up in almost all units of the Latvian National Guard. At present, they still do not have their own armed vehicles, and Scania trucks, which are absolutely unprotected against enemy bullets, are used to transport troops.
Patria can accommodate a full 10-person infantry combat unit. In turn, both the driver of the armored personnel carrier and another soldier may be in front of the vehicle. When the armored personnel carrier moves, soldiers can easily fit their bags and the ammunition they carry behind the seat backs, while the seats themselves are comfortable and cushioned, which additionally protects the soldiers in case the machine is thrown into the air when running into a mine. The seats can be quickly transformed. Lifting them up immediately provides a fairly large area for extra cargo or injuries.
To understand what's going on around the armored car, it is equipped with special high-resolution cameras, so that both the crew and the soldiers in the cabin can observe the surroundings on a large monitor without leaving the car. What is most surprising is the smooth running of the armored car. The automatic transmission allows you to pick up acceleration when needed without having to "jump" and brake the machine quickly. In turn, its wheel suspension dampens the ride on uneven terrain.
If Patria is able to meet all the requirements of the Latvian defense industry, Latvia could purchase up to 300 such armored personnel carriers, most of which will be at the disposal of the National Guard. As the Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks emphasizes, the initial plan is to ensure that at least one company from each Latvian National Guard battalion is armed with the new armored personnel carriers.
However, the winners will not be just soldiers and bodyguards. One of the conditions of the forthcoming procurement is the involvement of the Latvian defense industry in the production of armored vehicles, as well as the opening of an armored vehicle service center. In addition to security aspects, a serious economic co-operation plan has been set as the basis for procurement, so that a large part of the state funds allocated for the procurement of armored vehicles would return to the Latvian economy.
Patria's subsidiary Patria Latvija has started work on the creation of a special cluster of Latvian entrepreneurs, in which at least 20 Latvian companies are involved. They could be involved in the production, maintenance and further development of armored car parts. According to the representatives of both countries, a special benefit will be the creation of a single supply chain, which would ensure not only cost savings, but also strategic supply in case of crisis.
"In recent years, there has been a positive trend in Europe towards the joint development of the military industry. A competitive and strong defense industry is crucial for the pan-European economy. I believe that this cooperation between Finland, Latvia and Patria is a great example, ”said the State Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Defense. Meanwhile, Jussi Jervinen, President of Patria Land OY, emphasized that Latvian entrepreneurs are already actively participating in the Patria 6x6 program. According to his forecasts, other countries could soon show interest in the supply of this type of armored vehicles. Following new orders, the Latvian companies involved in this project will also benefit.
The total value of the vehicle development contract is approximately 7.3 million euros, and its costs are covered equally by Latvia and Finland. Deliveries of armored vehicles could take about ten years. It is planned that the research phase of the new vehicles will end at the end of 2021, after which the partner countries will be able to start negotiations on the purchase of new 6x6 armored vehicles. If the tests of armored vehicles launched by both countries are successful, the first orders for the supply of armored vehicles could be expected already at the end of 2021. The cost of a possible order in Latvia was estimated at about 200 million euros.
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