Latvia accepts first locally made CAVS 6x6 APC
Latvia has ordered more than 200 vehicles. (Photo: Latvian MoD)
Sweden, Finland and Latvia are undertaking joint development of a new Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) based on Patria’s 6x6 APC design, with Latvia’s vehicles being made by Defence Partnership Latvia.
The first Latvian-made CAVS 6x6 armoured personnel carrier has been delivered to the Latvian National Armed Forces (NAF), one of more than 200 vehicles expected to be delivered to the country by 2029.
The vehicle was made by Defence Partnership Latvia, a Patria majority-owned joint venture with Latvian partner Unitruck, at a facility in Valmiera which was opened in May. It is planned the facility will produce approximately thirty Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers annually.
Uģis Romanovs, chairman of the board of Defence Partnership Latvia and Patria Latvia, said: “We are also actively working to implement other NAF capability development projects in our factory, thereby strengthening both NAF combat capabilities and the Latvian industry and economy.”
The CAVS-related Patria 6x6 deliveries are also ongoing besides to Finland and Sweden and vehicles are in operational use. Patria has already received orders for nearly 700 Patria 6x6 vehicles and about 200 have already been delivered.
The vehicle can carry an 8.5t payload and can be configured for a variety of roles such as a carrier for Patria's NEMO 120mm turret mortar system or as an ambulance.
The vehicle provides baseline NATO STANAG 4560 Level 2 ballistic protection which can be increased to Level 4, and the basic level of mine/IED protection can also be increased up to Level 4, offering protection against a 10kg mine blast.
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