Charles Forrester, Senior Defence Industry Analyst, Jane’s talks to Kari Grön, senior VP of engineering at Patria about their new 6×6 APC, which was unveiled at Eurosatory 2018 for the first time.
Finland’s Patria has completed initial trials of its latest wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC), which is currently known as the Patria 6×6.
The new APC, which was unveiled at Eurosatory 2018, has a gross vehicle weight of 24,000 kg, of which 8,500 kg is the maximum payload including the armour package, weapon, crew, and fuel.
According to Patria it can be fitted with a range of weapons including the company’s AMOS 120 mm turreted mortar system, which is in service with the Finnish Defence Forces on its larger 8×8 Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV).
The first example of the Patria 6×6 is fitted with a protected weapon station armed with a .50 M2 HB machine gun (MG), and a 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm MG can be pintle mounted on the roof of the rear troop compartment.
The vehicle is powered by a five-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine developing 294 kW, coupled to an automatic transmission with seven forward and two reverse gears, which gives a maximum road speed of 100 km/h and an operating range on roads of up to 700 km.
The vehicle is being marketed with two types of suspension system: one being the independent type with double wishbone on each axle; and the second a conventional spring suspension with optional hydropneumatic hydrostrut.
The brakes are compressed air hydraulic disc brakes with an anti-skid braking system as standard.
Steering is power assisted on the front four wheels with optional rear wheel steering, which is useful for operation in confined spaces.
The hull is all-welded steel armour with an appliqué modular armour package that can provide a maximum protection level up to STANAG 4569 Level 4 with a high level of protection against mines and improvised explosive devices.
