On Monday, February 9, 2026, the Ministry of Defence of Finland announced that the defense ministries of the United Kingdom and the Norway had signed a Research and Development (R&D) Agreement under the international CAVS (Common Armored Vehicle System) program concerning the Patria 6×6 armored personnel carrier.
Image: Ministry of Defence of Finland
They thus joined Latvia, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Finland. Under the agreement, they will gain access to the results of existing product development packages and, subject to national approvals, will be able to participate in the further development of CAVS program components, should they choose to do so.
It is worth recalling that the United Kingdom and Norway jointly announced their accession to the CAVS program during the DSEI (Defence & Security Equipment International) trade fair, held in London on September 9–12, 2025. At the same time, the Finnish company Patria Oyj signed a Teaming Agreement with the UK-based Babcock International Group, under which it will carry out local production of the vehicles. The platform will be adapted to the operational requirements of the British Army and will include a support package to ensure fleet operational readiness throughout its life cycle. This followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on January 22, 2025.
“The CAVS Programme is becoming the most significant defence program of modern armoured vehicles in Europe. The programme strengthens European defence and NATO cooperation by increasing the countries’ preparedness for cooperation at many different levels. With Finnish expertise, we will advance the defence capability of the whole of Europe. We can be proud of this for good reason,” says Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.
Earlier under the CAVS program, Finland ordered 161 Patria 6×6 vehicles (designated locally as XA-300); Sweden ordered 435 vehicles under the designation Pansarterrängbil 300; Latvia ordered more than 256 vehicles, the first of which are already in service; Germany ordered 349 vehicles out of a planned 876 (including 69 units in the NEMO mortar variant); and Denmark ordered 129 vehicles. Outside the program framework, Latvia financed the delivery of 42 vehicles to Ukraine. The total order portfolio stands at nearly 2,000 vehicles, of which 250 have already been delivered.
In September 2025, an international CAVS program management office was opened in Tampere, Finland, to enable effective administration and oversight of the program.
According to a statement by Patria Oyj in January 2023, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Japan have also expressed interest in the modular 6×6 armored vehicle. In early September last year, Lithuania indicated interest in joining the CAVS program as well.
The Patria 6×6 (manufacturer designation: Patria XA-300) was designed as the successor to the XA-180/185/200 Pasi 6×6 family and was first unveiled at the Eurosatory 2018 trade fair in Paris (it was also presented at MSPO 2019 in Kielce in cooperation with Rosomak). The vehicle is based on a modified AMV 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle chassis, featuring double wishbone fully independent suspension and a new drivetrain. It is powered by a 400-hp diesel engine delivering a maximum torque of 1,870 Nm, paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The crew consists of three soldiers, and troop capacity has been increased to ten. The driver controls two axles (optionally three) and is equipped with, among other systems, a SENOP night vision system and a rear-view camera. The operational range exceeds 700 km, and the maximum speed is over 100 km/h. The vehicle can negotiate 60% gradients, 30% side slopes, vertical obstacles up to 0.6 m, trenches 1.0 m wide, fords up to 1.5 m deep, and optionally water obstacles.
Iso-Britannia ja Norja ovat liittyneet Suomen johtaman monikansallisen CAVS-panssariajoneuvohankkeen tuotekehityssopimukseen. Sopimuksen piirissä on tällä hetkellä jo seitsemän Nato-maata. https://t.co/emTOa76Xxu
— Puolustusministeriö (@DefenceFinland) February 9, 2026