Just shy of two weeks since the official announcement of their shipment, the Latvian Ministry of Defense has confirmed the delivery of the first 6×6 Patria CAVS armored vehicles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as part of a new military aid package to confront the Russian invasion. Specifically, this refers to an initial batch of units configured to serve as troop transports, which were manufactured by Latvia’s military-industrial complex.
Referring to this development, Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated: “By providing this type of support to Ukraine, we have the opportunity to develop our defense industry, testing the durability and capabilities of Latvian-made armored vehicles on a real battlefield. Latvia continues and will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its country for as long as necessary.”
It is worth recalling that Latvia has committed a total of 42 6×6 Patria CAVS armored vehicles to Ukraine, in response to multiple support requests made by Kyiv. The batch in question was ordered by the Latvian Ministry of Defense in February of this year, while also affirming that this purchase would not negatively impact the operational capabilities of the Latvian Armed Forces, which also operate the platform.
In connection with this, it is worth noting that the Baltic country signed an intergovernmental agreement in August 2021 to join the development and subsequent purchase of this type of armored troop transport vehicle—a program that also includes Finland, Sweden, and Germany. In concrete terms, Riga finalized the acquisition of 200 units in that initial phase, while also contributing to the design of a new command-and-control variant, which was completed in 2024, with an additional 56 units purchased.
Lastly, reviewing the main features of the 6×6 Patria CAVS vehicles recently delivered to Ukraine, we can highlight that these are high-mobility platforms capable of operating even in highly adverse terrain and reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h thanks to their turbocharged Scania DC 09/4-T diesel powerplant. In terms of armament, each unit is capable of integrating 40 mm grenade launchers and 12.7 mm caliber machine guns. Additionally, the vehicles feature protection in accordance with NATO’s STANAG 4569 standards, providing the crew with protection against landmines, shrapnel, and machine gun fire.
*Images used for illustrative purposes only
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