Latvia has penned a deal with Finnish defense company Patria for a 200 million euro ($237 million) contract involving the production and delivery of over 200 6×6 armored vehicle systems, the company has announced, with an expected delivery timeframe of around 2021 through 2029.
Right now, no specific specs or details about the ordered set of Partia 6x6x vehicles have been revealed.
Patria Land business unit President Jussi Järvinen described the advantages of the new 6×6 system as having a long life cycle, its cost-efficiency, and versatility.
President and CEO of Patria Esa Rautalinko called the deal “a significant milestone,” stating that a similar deal may be interesting to other countries interested in “enhancing their army mobility.”
The deal was done as part of an agreement between Finland and Latvia, which includes joint procurement management between the two countries.
Latvia’s International Defense Relations
In 2018, Latvia received sales approval from the US Department of State for the country to buy four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment from the US for $200 million.
With the Black Hawks, Latvia intends to “expand its existing Army architecture in its efforts to provide multi-mission support in the region.”
Also in 2018, the country signed a 108 million euro ($132 million) deal with Israel to buy the Israeli-made Spike anti-tank guided missile for its CVR-T armored vehicle fleet.