Slovakia and Finland signed an agreement in Bratislava with the Finnish armaments company Patria for the supply of 8×8 wheeled armored vehicles Armored Modular Vehicle AMVxp for the Slovak Armed Forces. In addition to the delivery of the vehicles, services for logistics, ammunition and infrastructure were agreed. A total of 76 vehicles in three variants are to be delivered from 2023. The value of the order was given in earlier publications as 447 million euros.
As reported by the Slovak Ministry of Defense, an intergovernmental agreement on the provision of separately defined support elements for procurement was also concluded. This includes quality assurance of armored vehicles acquired from Slovakia, possible price checks, exchange of information and user experiences, and cooperation in training and exercises.
Patria will contribute to the development of the local engineering and defense industry as part of the Slovak 8×8 Bojovými Obrnenými Vozidlami (BOV) program and will share technical experience and innovations in the field of top-class armored modular vehicles, the company writes.
“Together with Konštrukta Defense, EVPU and CSM, as well as other local companies, we have created a long-term solution that provides Slovakia with sustainable security of supply. “In addition, this agreement offers Slovakia the opportunity to continue the stable procurement of vehicle variants and the associated support of services throughout the life cycle under the same contract,” explains Jukka Holkeri, Executive Vice President for the Global Division at Patria.
The AMV XP is the latest version of Patria's mass-produced 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle since 2004. Of the total weight of up to 32 tons, a maximum of 15 tons is available for payload. The basic protection can be increased modularly up to level 5 according to STANAG 4569. For propulsion, Patria uses a 480 kW Scania diesel engine in conjunction with an automatic gearbox. The individually suspended wheels have emergency running properties and can be adjusted to the terrain using a central tire pressure control. The hydraulically assisted steering acts on the 1st, 2nd and 4th axles.
The Turra-30 remote-controlled turret manufactured by the Slovak company EVPU was chosen for armament. The primary weapon is a 30mm autocannon, complemented by a 7.62mm caliber machine gun and guided anti-tank missiles. The turret is therefore also suitable for defending against low-flying targets at distances of up to 2,500 m.
In March, the Slovak Ministry of Defense had selected Finland and Patria's AMVxp 8×8 for the 8×8 program BOV after a competition with international participation (ESUT and soldier and technologyreported).
Editors / gwh
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