Patria Unveils Its Inaugural 6×6 Vehicles in Latvia
The collaborative 6×6 vehicle initiative between Finland and Latvia is progressing as planned, with Patria successfully delivering the inaugural Patria 6×6 armored wheeled vehicles to Latvia. This initial handover marks a significant achievement for all involved parties in the collective program.
“Through exemplary collaboration among Latvian enterprises, our skilled professionals, and the future operators of the vehicles, we have collectively reached this pivotal milestone. Adhering to the timeline and advancing a project of this scale so efficiently is not always guaranteed, and we do not overlook this accomplishment. Substantial effort has been invested in this endeavor and will continue to be sustained. We all share pride in our achievements and are committed to furthering this extraordinary joint initiative. Moreover, I trust that such tangible advancements will foster greater confidence in this program, particularly from external observers, thus sparking interest from other nations as well,” states Jussi Järvinen, President of Patria’s Land division.
One week prior to the vehicle handover, user training for the Patria 6×6 vehicle was conducted in Hämeenlinna at Patria’s premises, where personnel from the Latvian National Armed Forces engaged in a two-week course focused on user, instructor, and maintenance training. The training aimed to instruct participants on the vehicle’s operation and utilization – methodically.
Following this training phase, the Latvian soldiers now possess a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle’s operational and maintenance obligations. They are also poised to receive the initial vehicles in Latvia on behalf of Patria and prepared to commence their safe operation.
In early 2020, Finland and Latvia established a collaborative development program aimed at enhancing ground forces’ mobility. The objective of this project has been to design a new armored vehicle system based on 6×6 armored vehicles produced by Patria. In late August 2021, Finland, Latvia, and Patria formalized a Frame Agreement for managing the production phase.
Latvia and Patria formalized a supply agreement encompassing over 200 units of 6×6 armored personnel carriers developed under the collaborative program, which also includes their support and training frameworks. Finland and Patria signed a letter of intent regarding the upcoming serial order from Finland. The collaborative initiative remains open to additional countries, contingent on the mutual agreement of the participating nations.
