CAVS programme hands over first locally produced Patria 6×6 to Latvian armed forces

In a ceremony on 5 August 2024 at Ādaži Military Base in Latvia, which was attended by Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds, Defence Partnership Latvia, a joint venture majority-owned by Patria, handed over the first Latvian-made Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carrier (APC) to the Latvian National Armed Forces.

Latvia became the first country to join the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme in September 2021, ordering more than 200 Patria 6×6 APCs for delivery between 2022 and 2029. With the contract stipulating that some of the vehicles will be produced in Latvia, the Defence Partnership Latvia joint venture was therefore established in May 2024.

“Over the past four years since Latvia’s participation in the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System Program we have reached the most important milestone of the project: the delivery of the first Latvian-made armoured personnel carrier to the National Armed Forces (NAF),” said Uģis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board of Defence Partnership Latvia and Patria Latvia.

Around 30 Patria 6×6 APCs are to be produced annually at the plant in Latvia. The number of these vehicles in the Latvian armed forces is estimated at around 100.

Participants in the CAVS programme include Finland, Latvia, Sweden and Germany. As well as Latvia, deliveries of Patria 6×6 vehicles are also ongoing to Finland and Sweden. Patria has already received orders for almost 700 Patria 6×6 vehicles under the CAVS programme, of which about 200 have already been delivered.

The programme is open to European countries with similar equipment requirements, provided the participating countries agree.