The Patria 6×6 is currently the best seller of the Finnish group portfolio, with 800 vehicles on order of which 200 already delivered. The vehicle was definitely one of the stars of Patria’s Arctic Event 2025, numerous new developments being in the pipeline while the company concentrates on mass production
Before getting to technical details, let’s get a view of that programme from a company top manager. “When we look at the Patria 6×6, we consider the orders that we have in-house, with countries like Germany joining, and its way of procuring vehicles in successive batches, this brings obviously many other countries knocking on our door,” Jukka Holkeri, Executive Vice President Global Division told EDR On-Line.
EDR On-Line understood that some of those potential customers identified the Patria vehicle as the one that best fits their needs, in different variants ranging from air defence to CBRN and others, some other that need to reconstitute an Army due to the current situation and thanks to some financing look at the Patria 6×6 as a starting point for rebuilding a credible force, while other nations are considering it without having a specified need, identifying it as a standard product with a consolidated customer and industrial base.
At the Arctic Event 2025 EDR On-Line also met Mr. Toni Töyrylä, the Product Manager for the Patria 6×6, who clarified several technical details of the vehicle which is currently being provided to Finland, Latvia and Sweden, and soon to Germany, within the CAVS (Common Armoured Vehicle System) framework.
The Patria 6×6 was born to provide armies with a cost-effective troop transport vehicle available at a reasonable cost. “The naked platform has a mass of 16 tonnes, the armoured personnel carrier (APC) configuration climbing at 19 tonnes, for a combat mass of around 20-21 tonnes,” Mr. Töyrylä explains, adding that the maximum mass for the three-axle vehicle is 24 tonnes. The latter figure is valid for vehicles fitted with hydropneumatic suspensions, while those fitted with coil springs have a maximum mass of 22 tonnes, 21.5 tonnes being the limit for amphibious operations.
In December 2018 EDR On-Line was invited by Patria to test the 6×6 in the deep snow in Sodankylä, north of Rovaniemi. “Since then, the automotive component of the vehicle was the subject of very limited upgrades,” Mr. Töyrylä told us, most redesign having been done mostly on role kits and to improve usability. Within the CAVS community other aspects that are being considered are maintenance and support, as each country has different habits.
Mass production is nowadays one of the key issues in the military world, due to the lessons learned coming from the Russian-Ukrainian war. EDR On-Line understood that the chassis is common to all nations, while customisation is done on role kits, so in the end vehicles have a high commonality, especially on automotive components. Of course, not all customers selected some options, such as the amphibious capability which for the time being is being added as option only on vehicles for some countries, being able to cross a lake in such countries adding considerable mission flexibility.
The amphibious capability is part of a list of available options to be added to the basic design. Among those we find additional heating systems, for example for the windscreen, glasses and mirrors, NBC protection, a bigger alternator, which can be selected for example for the Command-and-Control version, non auxiliary power unit being considered for the time being.
Higher protection is also among the options; “We have some 3-4 tonnes payload remaining from the APC configuration, and part of it can be used for increasing the protection level.” Having a more protected vehicle might bring to also increase firepower, currently Patria 6×6 are being weaponised with a remotely controlled weapon station (RCWS) or with a ring mount, armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. The product manager made it clear that although the vehicle is capable to carry a turret armed with more powerful cannons, at a certain point a compromise might be found between protection, firepower, and troop transport capacity.
Basic protection is Level 2 all-round, that is ballistic and mine both under wheel and under belly, add on armour kits allowing to increase this up to Level 4 all-round, which is that adopted on the Heavy APC version which has been developed by Patria. Four versions are therefore currently available, APC, Heavy APC, Command and Control and NEMO mortar carrier, a CASEVAC version being in development. Other potential variants attracted customers’ interest, but nothing has yet been agreed. One interesting development might be a Counter-UAS version, and EDR On-Line understood that Patria is talking to companies active in that field, although a C-UAS version is not planned yet.
Talking direct fire, we were told that to maintain a good troop transport capacity, the turret mass should not exceed 700-800 kg. Which is of course not the maximum mass that can be sustained by the roof, the mortar version being fitted with the Nemo turret which is around 1.8 tonnes; in that case space is the limiting factor, the rear compartment hosting a crew of two with 40 rounds in storage. For those Patria developed a specific ammunition storage that in case of deflagration of the charges, fumes being extracted through exhaust channels going through the roof.
The Patria 6×6 is fitted with 14R20 pneumatics, probably the most widely used in the military world as they equip most tactical trucks. The runflat option was selected by all current customers, which is not the case for the central tire inflation system.
Patria is actively participating in European Union programmes aimed at electrification, and is ready to do steps in that direction, EDR On-Line understood, “however until now no customer is willing to pay the money and mass price for a hybrid solution for a troop transport vehicle,” Mr. Töyrylä underlined, adding that the company R&D department is prepared to answer new requirements by customers, and in terms of energy an increase capacity to generate electric power is one of the options considered.
The Patria 6×6 product manager stressed again the importance of being able to produce the vehicles, in this historical moment. Asked if a third production line might be added to the existing two, one in Patria premises, the second in Latvia, he told us that once the German contract will be finalised, this might well include such an option, the German team that has been identified being formed by DSL, part of KNDS, and Jungenthal Wehrtechnik GmbH, an FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft company.
Photos by P. Valpolini