Latvian Army receives first locally produced Patria armoured personnel carriers

The Latvian Armed Forces have received their first locally produced Patria armoured personnel carriers after three years of waiting.

Here's What We Know

The ceremony took place at the Adazhi military base in central Latvia, with the participation of Defence Minister Andris Sprūds. It is worth noting that Riga signed a contract with the Finnish company Patria in August 2021 for the supply of more than 200 6×6 armoured personnel carriers to be produced in Latvia.

This step was aimed at strengthening the country's defence technology and industrial base, as well as enhancing the combat capabilities of the Latvian army.

"We have reached the most important milestone of the project - the delivery of the first armoured personnel carrier of the full production cycle in Latvia to the National Armed Forces," said Ugis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board of the Defence Partnership of Latvia.

Earlier this year, Patria opened a new production facility in Valmiera, Latvia. The location is reportedly the first full-cycle 6×6 armoured vehicle production plant in the Baltic region. The capacity allows for the production of approximately 30 Patria APCs annually.

Flashback

The Patria AMV is a multi-purpose wheeled armoured combat vehicle developed by the Finnish company Partia in 2001. The Patria's special feature is its modular design, which allows it to be produced in different versions depending on the intended use. The chassis of the vehicle can have an 8x8 or 6x6 wheel configuration.

Source: Patria Group