Patria, an international defence and technology company (owned by the State of Finland (50.1%) and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS) and
Babcock International Group (based in London) have entered a teaming agreement to support — under the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle (CAVS) programme — the manufacturing of Patria 6x6 vehicles in the UK. Babcock will act as Patria’s build and support partner and will manufacture Patria 6x6 vehicles for the British Army (Patria has already transferred armoured vehicle manufacturing technology to several countries in three different continents).
Tom Newman, CEO of Babcock’s Land Sector, said: “We welcome the UK Ministry of Defence’s decision to join the CAVS programme for this 6x6 troop carrier, which has been backed by multiple armed forces throughout Europe. We are proud to be working with Patria as their official build partner, and as a strategic partner of the British Army.”
Jussi Järvinen, Patria’s executive vice president of protected mobility, added: “As a strategic partner to the British Army, Babcock is an experienced system integrator and platform builder with advanced production capabilities, and its team is currently delivering major projects for the British Army. The UK needs a proven ready-to-use vehicle platform, and the Patria 6x6 — already operational in NATO countries — will be locally built and supported to meet British Army requirements.”
Patria leads the 6x6 armoured vehicle system development as the prime contractor within the CAVS programme, with the bulk of supply of the vehicles undertaken by the member nations’ local industry capabilities. Patria has already received orders for nearly 1,000 Patria 6x6 vehicles and has delivered more than 250 through the CAVS programme, which is open to countries with similar equipment requirements, by mutual consent of the participating countries.