Sweden has officially announced its desire to join the Finnish-led common armored vehicle system (CAWS) program, which has already attracted three neighboring countries.
The program began in 2019 as a multinational cooperation between Finland, Latvia and Estonia. It progressed to the research and product development phase with Latvia in autumn 2020.
Latvia ordered its first batch of more than 200 personnel carrier armored vehicles in August 2021,with the delivery of first units taking place at the end of October.
Additionally, the Finnish defense ministry and Patria signed a letter of intent for an order of 160 new personnel carrier vehicles for Finland in 2023.
Sweden will become the fourth country to join the project to develop and procure a common armored vehicle. The program is also open to other countries with the mutual consent of the participating countries.
“This milestone is significant for the whole program. Extensive cooperation and network between countries will improve the mobility, cost-effectiveness, cooperation capabilities and maintenance capacity of the participating countries. In addition, the result of this program is a very cost-effective solution for participating countries,” says Jussi Järvinen, president of Patria’s Land Business Unit.
According to previous announcements, CAWS will be based on the Patria 6×6 AFV chassis platform that meets the set capability requirements. The 6×6 is a 7,5-meter vehicle with STANAG level 4 protection and amphibious capabilities. It has a top speed of over 100 km/h and a maximum payload of 8,500 kilos.
