Finland orders pre-series CAVS 6x6 vehicles

The Finnish Defence Forces has signed a deal with Patria for three 6x6 vehicles as a pre-series acquisition under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme involving Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden and the Finnish company.

‘The pre-series vehicles will be in test use of the Finnish Defence Forces before the final serial order indicated by the Letter of Intent signed at the end of August 2021,’ Patria announced on 28 January.

‘All three vehicles will be delivered to the customer in summer 2022,’ said Jussi Järvinen, EVP for the Finland Division of Patria.

He noted that pre-series testing would enable the Finnish end-users to ensure ‘the fluent and effective establishment of operational readiness when the serial order deliveries begin’.

The Finnish MoD stated that it plans to sign a contract for 160 vehicles in 2023. Shephard Defence Insight estimates that this deal will be worth $170.6 million.

Of the other CAVS partners, Latvia in October 2021 received its first 6x6 vehicles and serial production is in progress, while Sweden signed up to join the programme two months later.

Estonia signed an LoI in 2019 and remains involved in the technical arrangement that forms the basis of CAVS, although the Baltic republic has not yet signed a framework contract to order vehicles.