On September 2, Japan held a ceremony to receive the first of its new mass-produced Patria AMV XPs to be incorporated into the Ground Self-Defense Force, a model that will allow the service to begin replacing its Type 96 8×8 APCs. The event took place at the Muroran plant of Japan Steel Works, attended by senior officials, including the Chief of Staff of the force.
Quoting from the official statement posted on social media by the Japanese Ministry of Defense: “The first series-produced units will begin deployment in the units this fiscal year. The AMV (Note: XP) presented this time by the Ground Self-Defense Force has excellent mobility and protection capabilities, allowing personnel transport under threat, and it is also expected to be widely used in international peace cooperation activities.”
It should be noted that the AMV XP being integrated by the force is a model derived from the original AMV armored vehicle line, featuring enhanced mobility and firepower. Additionally, the platform comes with improvements in armor and protection systems that increase its battlefield survivability, applying lessons learned from the first model. In terms of variants, the system is available in three options: standard, high roof, and heavy weapons platform.
These features led to the selection of the AMV XP by Tokyo for its Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier (WAPC) program, which began in the mid-2010s and aimed to acquire a proven 8×8 platform. The program also considered the GDLS Stryker, for which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries designed its own prototype, but ultimately the Patria model was selected.
Beyond the technical aspects, it was crucial that Patria partnered with local companies to carry out licensed production within Japan, in cooperation with the aforementioned Japan Steel Works. This partnership was formalized through an agreement signed in 2023, although at that time the number of vehicles to be produced for the Ground Self-Defense Force and the contract value were not disclosed. Later, a staged purchase plan was revealed for a total of 82 vehicles at 561 billion yen, with local reports indicating an intention to acquire a fleet of over 800 vehicles in the future.
*Cover image: @JGSDF_pr on X
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