Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen has authorised the procurement of life-cycle upgrades for 139 of the country’s Patria XA-180 6×6 wheeled armoured vehicles to keep them in service until 2040, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in a press release on 28 October.
Finland is to conduct life-cycle upgrades of 139 Patria XA-180 6×6 wheeled armoured vehicles. (Patria)
The upgrades, which are scheduled to begin in 2020, will ensure “that the capability, condition, and technical life cycle of the armoured personnel carriers will extend into the 2040s,” the MoD said.
It added that the vehicles’ electrical systems, automotive components, and suspensions will be upgraded or improved, and new seats with safety belts will be installed. The work is scheduled to be completed by 2022.
The contract is valued at approximately EUR35 million (USD38.8 million).
The press release states that this contract continues the XA-180 life-cycle upgrade initiated in 2014 and is related to Finland’s National Defence Development Programme, which is designed to improve force mobility.
This is the largest mid-life update contract for the XA-180 series and will bring the total number of upgraded vehicles in Finnish service to 274. The first contract was placed in 2013 for 70 mid-life updates and a second in 2017 for 65 more.
The 2017 contract stated that development of the army would be the focus of the contemporary electoral term, as strategic procurement decisions for the air force and navy were scheduled for the 2020s.
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