Latvia orders 56 additional Patria armoured personnel carriers

Latvia has signed a contract with the Finnish company Patria for the production and supply of 56 more Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carriers worth more than $60 million.

What is known

The new armoured personnel carriers will be used as command and control vehicles for the Latvian Armed Forces. Delivery is scheduled to begin this year and be completed by 2029.

These additional vehicles will complement a previous contract signed in 2021 for the supply of 200 armoured personnel carriers under the Common Armoured Vehicle System programme. This programme is a joint initiative of Latvia, Finland, Germany and Sweden.

The armoured personnel carriers will be manufactured in Latvia under a preliminary contract worth about $210 million. This is aimed at strengthening the country's defence industry and enhancing its military capabilities.

"The new Patria 6×6 armoured command and control vehicles will significantly improve the operational capabilities of our armed forces and contribute to the development of the Latvian defence industry. This is a continuation of the successful cooperation between the defence sector and industry," said Andris Sprūds, Minister of Defence of Latvia.

For those who don't know

The Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carrier is primarily designed to transport troops, but can be adapted to perform combat and support missions. The vehicle provides STANAG 2 ballistic and mine protection with the possibility of upgrading to STANAG 4.

The weight of the armoured personnel carrier varies from 15.5 to 24 tonnes, and its payload is up to 8.5 tonnes. The Patria 6×6 can accommodate up to 10 soldiers in a protected hull and a two-person crew in the cab. The vehicle is equipped with high mobility, has amphibious capabilities for crossing water obstacles and can be adapted for amphibious assault.

Source: The Defence Post