To boost Sweden's defence capabilities, the first batch of Patria's six-wheeled armoured vehicles has been delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces.
Manufactured in Finland, these 6x6 vehicles will play a role in the country's ongoing military expansion. The official handover ceremony marked a milestone in the partnership between Sweden and Patria, with these vehicles set to be stationed in key locations nationwide.
Sweden's cross-border collaboration
Sweden's military upgraded with the arrival of Patria's Pansarterrängbil 300, commonly known as the 6x6 armoured vehicle. Manufactured in Finland, these military assets have made their way to Sweden, and their deployment marks a phase in the country's expansion of the Swedish Armed Forces.
The agreement between Sweden and Finnish defence provider Patria included purchasing 20 6x6 armoured vehicles. This move is aligned with Sweden's aim to reach Nato's defence spending target of 2% of gross domestic product.
The Patria 6x6, designed primarily for troop transportation, offers versatility for various purposes, including command and control and ambulance duties.
"The Patria 6x6 APC is also a relatively new platform which can be adapted to suit diverse mission profiles and requirements, thus further enhancing opportunities for upgrade programmes down the line," said Tristan Sauer, aerospace, defence, and security analyst at GlobalData.
The Livgardet regiment in Kungsängen, situated near the Swedish capital of Stockholm, is set to host several of these vehicles. Additionally, other locations further south in Sweden will see the deployment of these armoured units.
The official handover ceremony, which took place at the Ground Combat School in Kvarn on 26 October 2023, symbolised the bond between Patria and Sweden, underlining their commitment to enhancing national security.
Patria's global expansion
Sauer provided commentary on why it is a valuable addition for Sweden. "The Patria 6x6 is a solid choice for the Swedish armed forces, as it is used by neighbouring Baltic nations and future Nato allies Finland, Latvia and Estonia, with Germany also moving to adopt it in some fashion," he said. "This will facilitate joint training, ops and logistics in the region while building deeper relationships between the partner nations' defence industries.
Patria's 6x6 armoured vehicles are no stranger to the Baltic region, with Finland and Latvia already benefitting from their military capabilities. Furthermore, the adoption of Patria's 6x6 vehicles in Germany's Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme illustrates their increasing popularity and effectiveness internationally.
Patria's fulfilment of the Swedish order demonstrates the advantages of cross-border collaboration, a core element of the joint CAVS initiative.
Mats Warstedt, senior vice-president of Market Area Nordics at Patria, expressed his satisfaction with the vehicles' arrival on Swedish soil: "We are glad to see the vehicles in operation on Swedish soil."
With manufacturing based in Finland and contributions from the Swedish industry, Pansarterrängbil 300 serves as an example of the benefits derived from the collaboration between nations. Sweden's role as one of Patria's export markets underlines the success of their partnership.
Over the past three quarters, Patria's net sales rose to €487.9m ($515.2m) compared with €426.7m in the same period the previous year, while operating profit reached €36.9m, up from €32.8m.
