Finland’s Patria has announced the unveiling of its new Heavy Armoured Personnel Carrier 6×6 (HAPC) vehicle at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) running September 14 to 17 in London.
The vehicle is the product of an agreement between Finland and Latvia for a joint programme for enhancing army mobility. HAPC is a modular design capable of providing high mobility, protection, and fire support. It is equipped with the Cockrill lightweight stabilized remote weapon station. The station can mount 25mm, 30mm, 12.7, 7.62 and anti-tank guided missiles.
The HAPC is a successor to the Patria XA-series Pasi 6×6. It has a combat weight of 24 tonne and has a payload of 8.5 tonne. It can accommodate a crew of three and ten passengers. The vehicle is provided with high situational awareness, command and control, and Level 2 standard ballistic and 10 kg mine blast protection. Its range of options include enhancing ballistic to level 4. Mobility is assured by the proven wish-bone suspension with coil springs or optional hydropneumatics hydro strut shock absorbers, its all-wheel drive train, and optional Central Tire Inflation System. The five-cylinder turbo-charged 294kW diesel engine and seven speed automatic transmission provides a maximum ground speed of 100 kmph. Its 1.5 m fording depth can be supplanted by and optional full amphibious swim capability.
The vehicle was successfully demonstrated in real-world conditions by the Latvian armed forces in May 2021. Latvia will field 200 of the HAPC while Finland has signed a letter of intent for a potential serial order. Vehicle deliveries are to begin in 2021 and continue through 2029.
by Stephen W. Miller
