Germany has signed contracts worth more than 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) with Finnish vehicle developer Patria for the purchase of 876 Common Armored Vehicle Systems (CAVS).
Orders cover four different variants of the system, including configurations equipped with the company’s proprietary NEMO mortar turret and Kongsberg’s Protector RS4 remote-controlled weapon station.
Berlin will begin receiving the platforms in 2026.
The announcement also confirms Patria’s technology transfer to German contractors FFG, JWT, and KNDS, following an industrial teaming agreement for domestic CAVS development signed in 2024 to meet the country’s future requirements.
Vehicles produced from this local production initiative will be available by 2027.
“Germany’s trust in Patria and in the CAVS programme underscores a modern approach to multinational defence cooperation, fostering interoperable fleets and ensuring unprecedented security of supply through industrial cooperation,” said Esa Rautalinko, president and CEO of Patria.
“The German CAVS programme will contribute to the German Army’s ambition to reach full combat readiness by 2029, and Patria is proud to be part of this development.”
The CAVS Program
The Finnish Ministry of Defence launched the CAVS program in 2020 to equip Helsinki’s military and its allies with a next-generation unified fleet.
The platform selected for this initiative is the Patria 6×6 armored personnel carrier, which could maintain operability for up to three decades.
CAVS, assembled according to NATO standards, measures 8 meters (26 feet) long, has a payload capacity of 9 tons (18,000 pounds), and can transport up to 10 passengers.
It is fitted with a Scania diesel engine, which has an output of 394 horsepower for a maximum speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour and a range of 700 kilometers (345 miles).
Currently, Patria is working on almost 2,000 CAVS orders, with over 250 vehicles already distributed to military customers.
The program now has seven member nations, with Germany as the fourth partner and the UK and Norway as the most recent additions.
