Joint development programmes strengthen European defence

Over 800 vehicle orders in the CAVS programme

According to Järvinen, the countries participating in the CAVS programme have the opportunity to acquire cost-effective and high-performance modular armored vehicles according to their requirements.
– Patria has so far received orders for over 800 Patria 6x6 vehicles. More than 200 vehicles have already been delivered to customers, says Järvinen. A significant part of the vehicle deliveries is carried out using the expertise and manufacturing capacity of the customer's country. 

Järvinen points out that the transfer of technology and production, either partially or entirely, has long been Patria's operating model in vehicle deliveries. Over the past two decades, the company has transferred production technology to five countries, most recently to Latvia. In addition, technology transfer is currently underway to Slovakia and Japan.
– Technology transfer ensures maintenance security and independent support, maintenance, and repair services even in crisis situations, Järvinen explains. 

Patria's operating model involves transferring technology and production to the customer's country, ensuring secure and independent maintenance and repair services.

In addition to vehicle deliveries, Patria offers a long-term solution to the countries participating in the CAVS programme, where Patria is responsible for the lifecycle services of the vehicle fleet for an agreed period. Such an agreement for the provision of services has already been concluded with Latvia.

The FAMOUS vehicle programme progresses as planned

The FAMOUS programme (European Future Highly Mobile Augmented Armoured Systems), which develops future armored vehicle technologies, is also progressing as planned, according to Järvinen. 

The programme, led by Finland, involves 9 countries and more than 35 defence companies from various EU countries in the industrial consortium led by Patria. EU funding for the FAMOUS programme amounts to over 100 million euros, with member states contributing around 20 million euros. 

In Finland, FAMOUS focuses on developing the Arctic mobility of the Army. The goal is to develop a new high-performance vehicle solution to replace the current tracked truck fleet that is being phased out. Patria is primarily responsible for the design, system integration, and prototype manufacturing of the new vehicle.
– Patria is heavily investing in the development and testing of vehicles, says Järvinen. 

Famous programme, led by Finland, involves 11 countries and more than 20 defence companies from various EU countries in the industrial consortium led by Patria.

The FAMOUS programme is now in its second phase, where vehicle and system concepts are being advanced to prototype design, manufacturing, and testing. The first concept of the vehicle was unveiled in the summer of 2024, and the prototype will be presented in the spring of 2025.
– Our goal is for the vehicle to be ready for serial production in 2027, Järvinen states.

It is worthwhile to boldly participate in joint programmes

The European Defence Fund (EDF) and its predecessor, the EDIDP programme, coordinate and fund European defence research and development. Supported programmes must be implemented in cooperation with at least three EU countries. Funding is mainly granted to industrial and research consortia through competitive calls. 

According to Järvinen, the well-progressed CAVS and FAMOUS programmes are examples that cooperation between European countries and companies in strengthening defence is worthwhile. Success requires the courage to be proactive in initiating new joint projects. Additionally, it is necessary to be active in securing funding.
– Development programmes need initiators and partners with strong defence expertise. Quick decision-making ability is also required to advance projects, Järvinen summarizes. 

Järvinen emphasizes the role of the EU and NATO in international cooperation, but also the Nordic defence cooperation project NORDEFCO and bilateral cooperation between states strengthen common goals.

The Finnish partnership model works

According to Järvinen, internal cooperation between the defence administration, the defence forces, and the defence industry is also essential. He highlighted the strategic partnership between Patria and the Defence Forces, which focuses on lifecycle services for equipment maintenance, repairs, upkeep, and training provided by Patria.
– We have a hundred years of experience in effective cooperation with the Defence Forces. We perform tasks that do not require military training or a military position. The Defence Forces can then focus on their core mission and utilize the efficient processes offered by the industry. 

Patria's strategic partnership with the Defence Forces focuses on lifecycle services, allowing the Defence Forces to concentrate on their core mission, and this successful model can be adopted in other countries.

According to Järvinen, the successful partnership model in Finland can also be adopted in other countries.
– Patria sees new cooperation opportunities in the Nordic countries, where defence is being strengthened through joint equipment procurements and intensified NATO cooperation in Arctic defence. For this purpose, the Patria OPTIME service concept has been developed, which combines Patria's strong technical expertise and data analysis in maintaining the performance of military equipment. 

An important step in the development of Patria OPTIME is the acquisition of the Belgian software company ILIAS Solutions by Patria, whose digital software platform helps manage various equipment. This allows for the collection of usage and maintenance data and the development of maintenance solutions to better organize defence lifecycle services.