Defence Partnership Latvia, a Patria majority-owned joint venture, handed over the first Latvian-made Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carrier (APC) to the Latvian National Armed Forces (NAF) in a ceremony at the military base “Ādaži” on 5 August.
In 2021, the Latvian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Patria to purchase over 200 Patria 6×6 armoured vehicles, which are scheduled for delivery by 2029. This agreement aims to enhance the combat capabilities of the NAF and support the advancement of Latvia’s defence technology and industrial base.
Uģis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board of Defence Partnership Latvia and Patria Latvia stated: “Over the past four years since Latvia’s involvement in the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme, we have reached the most significant milestone of the project – the delivery of the first armoured personnel carrier full-cycle produced in Latvia to the National Armed Forces (NAF).”
“With the opening of the Valmiera plant in May, we are focusing on the Latvian armoured personnel carrier order, but 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 as a whole.”
In late May, a new facility for producing APCs was opened in Valmiera, Latvia. The facility plans to manufacture around thirty Patria 6×6 APCs each year and is the first and only one of its kind in the Baltics.
The Patria 6×6 vehicle has been selected as the platform for the CAVS program, in which Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Germany are already participating. Deliveries of Patria 6×6 vehicles related to the CAVS program are ongoing, and they are being delivered to Latvia, Finland, and Sweden, and are already in use.
Patria has already received orders for nearly 700 Patria 6×6 vehicles, and approximately 200 have already been delivered. The program is open to other European countries with similar equipment requirements, pending approval from the participating nations.
Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carrier
| Type: | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Country of origin: | Finland |
| Manufacturer: | Patria |
| In service: | 2021- present |
| Users: | Finland, Latvia, Sweden, Germany |
| Length: | 7.5 m |
| Height: | 2.5 m |
| Width: | 2.9 m |
| Max payload: | 8,500 kg |
| Max combat weight: | 24,000 kg |
| Crew: | 2-3 (commander, driver, optional gunner) + 8-10 passengers |
| Max speed: | >100 km/h (62 mph) |
| Engine: | DC 09 Scania AB Diesel, 294 kW (394 hp) |
| Operational range: | 700 km (430 miles) |
| Armour: | Modular ballistic, mine and IED-protection system according to customers’ requirements. STANAG level 2, optional level 4. Readiness for future protection technologies |
| Armament: | Pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun; 105mm/120mm cannon; 120mm Patria Nemo remote-controlled mortar system |
