Germany and Patria have signed a research and development agreement for the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) NEMO mortar and CAVS mortar command & control variants for the German Armed Forces.
The 50-million-euro ($51-million) agreement includes the platforms’ integration with German mission systems and their qualification for customer requirements.
“Patria is very pleased to see Germany signing the first national CAVS variants development and qualification agreement,” Patria Executive Vice President Jukka Holkeri said.
“The 120 mm turreted mortar variant adds totally new performance to the international CAVS programme, and we trust that other participants of the programme will be very interested in this advanced capability.
“The development and qualification of these new CAVS variants will be done in close co-operation with the German industry, and the future serial production will be realised with our earlier published industrial partners KNDS, FFG and JWT.“
NEMO Turret
CAVS NEMO combines the Patria 6×6 armored vehicle and Patria’s NEMO 120 mm turreted mortar system.
The remote-controlled turret can fire six grenades simultaneously and be used for indirect fire support and self defense.
A lightweight modular design allows its easy integration with a range of tracked and wheeled platforms, both 6×6 and 8×8.
Amount Approved
A total of 25 million euros ($25.56 million) has been approved by the German parliament’s budget committee for the agreement, and the entire amount will be approved eventually, according to Hartpunkt.
It will finance the prototypes of a pair of mortar carriers and a command vehicle for the Future Indirect Fire Short-Range System.
The new mortars will replace the 120 mm mortars of the German Army’s infantry units and they will also be fielded by the grenadier units.
Finnish firm Patria will develop the system along with Fürstenfeldbruck-headquartered ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH.
CAVS Framework Agreement
Meanwhile, Germany signed the CAVS framework agreement last week, becoming a full member of the multinational program that also comprises Finland, Latvia, and Sweden.
Signing the fourth and final agreement allows Berlin serial procurement of CAVS vehicles based on Patria 6×6 vehicles.
Germany signed the statement of intent in 2022 and the technical arrangement in 2023. The final two agreements (research and development and framework) were signed in late 2024.
It has also invited Patria to submit a binding offer for the replacement of 300 aging Fuchs personnel carriers.