Britain and Norway have joined the European CAVS armored personnel carrier project from Patria

Seven countries behind one car — what is CAVS

At the DSEI exhibition in London, the Finnish company Patria announced that the United Kingdom and Norway have officially joined the European CAVS — Common Armored Vehicle System program. This means that seven countries are now participating in the project. The goal is to create a universal six—wheeled armored personnel carrier that can serve different armies, but at the same time be cheaper and faster to produce.

CAVS is not just an order. This is an attempt by Europe to stop making the same technique separately.

Patria and Babcock will assemble armored cars in Britain

A key agreement was signed between Patria and the British defense company Babcock International. They agreed to localize the production of armored personnel carriers in the UK. This means that vehicles for the British army will be assembled in the same place where they will be used — with the participation of local engineers, workers and supply chains.

This approach reduces dependence on imports and creates jobs, which is important for any government.

Six-wheeled armored personnel carrier for the future of the army

CAVS is based on the Patria 6x6 platform, a modern, lightweight and modular armored car. It can carry up to 10 people, including a crew, and easily adapts to different tasks: from infantry transport to a command post or medical evacuation.

The vehicle is designed taking into account modern threats — mines, drones, radio-controlled explosive devices. Protection, agility and network integration are the basis of the new concept.

Why Europe is joining forces on armor

Previously, each country bought its own armored cars — France its own, Germany its own, Finland its own. But it is expensive and inefficient. CAVS solves this problem: one platform, large-scale production, common standards. The more countries there are, the lower the price and the higher the willingness for joint operations.

Now, if a British and a Norwegian armored car are of the same type, they can work together without unnecessary difficulties.

Sources

1. Wikipedia — Patria 6×6 APC: specs, production history and CAVS programme (Finland, Latvia, Sweden, Germany, UK, Norway)
2. Prime — First Danish Patria delivered under CAVS; European shared armoured-vehicle framework
3. TASS — Latvian CAVS deliveries and production ramp-up in partner countries
4. Baltnews — Latvia rolls out first locally-built Patria 6×6; CAVS impact on European defence
5. TASS — Patria-German industry deal: up to 1 000 Patria 6×6 for Bundeswehr under CAVS
6. Army.az — CAVS expansion: UK & Norway join; Patria-Babcock agreement for British production

Germany is going to dramatically increase its power: fighter jets, thousands of armored vehicles and the Merz dream army

 

Germany is preparing for a large—scale military breakthrough - and we are talking about multibillion-dollar purchases that could change the face of European defense. According to sources from the Reuters news agency, the country plans to buy:

- 20 new Eurofighter fighters,  

- up to 3,000 Boxer armored personnel carriers,  

- and up to 3,500 Patria infantry fighting vehicles.

This is not just an upgrade of the fleet, it is an attempt to build the most powerful land army in Europe. And the main architect of this idea is Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who wants Germany to stop depending on the United States and take on a serious role in ensuring security on the continent.

Why now? Because after Ukraine, rising tensions with Russia, and instability in transatlantic relations, more and more Europeans are wondering: will America come to the rescue if war breaks out? Merz thinks it's impossible to take risks. Germany must be ready to fight on its own, and for this we need a modern, mobile and well-armed army.

Boxer is a heavy armored vehicle capable of withstanding minefields and drone attacks. The Patria is a lighter but faster combat vehicle, ideal for quick maneuvers. And the Eurofighter are fifth—generation fighters that will cover all this ground power from the air.

Of course, all this will cost tens of billions of euros. But in Berlin they think it's better to pay now than to pay with blood later.

This plan is not just a military reform. This is a geopolitical signal: Germany no longer wants to be a passive player. She wants to be a force to be reckoned with, inside and outside NATO.

Denmark buys 129 Patria armored personnel carriers — deliveries began in 2025

Patria

Denmark is not sitting idly by and is actively modernizing its army. Recently, the country's Ministry of Defense announced a deal with the Finnish company Patria to supply 129 XA-300-series armored personnel carriers at once. This is a serious order — the first cars have already started arriving this year, and everything should be fully completed by the end of 2026. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed, but it is said that it is "hundreds of millions of euros."

Why is it so urgent?

It's all about the deteriorating situation in Europe, especially after the events in Ukraine and the rising tensions in the Baltic region. Because of this, Copenhagen has launched an emergency defense enhancement program. According to Defense Minister Trine Bramsen, the new armored cars will give the Danish troops the necessary mobility and protection to quickly transfer equipment between the islands and help NATO in the Baltic.

What is special about these APCs?

These are not just armored personnel carriers — they are real new generation vehicles.:

- Enhanced protection against mines and homing ammunition  

- 360-degree all-round view cameras  

- Modular design — you can quickly change the configuration: from troop transport to a medical center or command center 

First of all, the equipment is planned to be transferred to a new mechanized brigade, which is being formed at the base of the garrison in Holstebro.

Production and service are also in Denmark

The Finnish company Patria has agreed to localize part of the production in Denmark itself — they will make armored hulls and install communication systems. This will create up to 200 new jobs for qualified specialists.  

In addition, maintenance and deep modernization of equipment will be carried out on the territory of the FFI (Institute for Defense Research) in Copenhagen — that is, all logistics will be organized locally.

Patria unveils ARVE: The first Finnish wheeled 155 mm self-propelled howitzer

 

Patria presented its latest development, the ARVE wheeled 155 mm self—propelled howitzer, during the Arctic event, which took place in Rovaniemi, Finland, from March 17th to 19th. This prototype is part of the company's broader efforts to expand Finland's artillery capabilities and demonstrates significant progress in military technology.

The ARVE is Finland's first wheeled 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, which integrates the 155 mm 155K98 howitzer onto the chassis of the SISU E13TP 8x8 truck. This combination ensures high mobility and survivability in a variety of operational environments, making it an ideal choice for modern artillery missions.

One of the key features of ARVE is its high mobility. Using the chassis of the SISU E13TP 8x8 truck allows the howitzer to quickly move around the battlefield and occupy advantageous positions. This is especially important in conditions requiring rapid response and redeployment. In addition, the improved survival rate of the howitzer ensures its effective operation even in difficult conditions.

The Arctic event in Rovaniemi has become an ideal platform to showcase ARVE's capabilities. During the event, various tests and demonstrations were carried out, which confirmed the high efficiency and reliability of the new howitzer. The participants of the event were able to assess the advantages of ARVE and its potential to strengthen Finland's artillery capabilities.

In addition to ARVE, another prototype was presented at the event, as well as a review of Patria defensive systems. Special attention was paid to subarctic operational conditions, which underlines the importance of adapting military equipment to extreme climatic conditions. Patria continues to develop its defensive systems, striving to ensure high efficiency and reliability in all conditions.