The cooperation between the Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Department and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) intensifies through vehicle system procurements. Major General Jari Mikkonen, Head of the Department of Logistics of the Defence Forces, signed the arrangement on the procurement of mobile systems and related technologies in Tampere on 5 May 2023. On the Swedish side, the documents were signed by Brigadier General Jonas Lotsne, Director of the Land Systems Department of the Swedish Defence Agency (FMV). The arrangement on the joint procurement of a tactical off-road vehicle and related technologies was also signed at the same event. The arrangement enables joint procurement of mobile systems between Finland and Sweden.
The systems to be procured may include tactical off-road vehicles, armoured and other off-road vehicles, lightweight vehicles, snowmobiles, mobile howitzers and artillery systems, battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, mobile grenade launchers and systems, armoured and other tactical off-road vehicles and other military trucks. It is also possible to create joint training and maintenance systems for systems acquired through possible joint procurements, which will further improve security of supply. Increasing joint procurement volumes will also reduce the national procurement costs for Finland and Sweden. In accordance with the arrangement to be signed in the first phase, Finland and Sweden will cooperate to negotiate a framework agreement on security of supply for the acquisition of tactical off-road vehicles and related technologies from a single supplier.
Sweden joined the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme in 2022 and proceeds now by joining the Framework Agreement as the next stage of preparation for the serial procurement phase. Within the programme, the Patria 6×6 vehicle was chosen as the vehicle platform after the evaluation of available solutions. Patria as the chosen provider of the 6×6 vehicle platform is responsible for system development within CAVS. CAVS, originally established by Finland and Latvia, is a joint programme of multiple governments to introduce a state-of-the-art new armoured vehicle system. Within the CAVS programme, Latvia has ordered more than 200 personnel carrier armoured vehicles in August 2021, of which Patria has delivered already over a dozen. Finland signed a letter of intent in August 2021 for 160 new personnel vehicle carriers and pre-series deliveries for Finland take place in June. Sweden signed an R&D agreement earlier this month for the research and product development phase.
