The Finnish model could become the successor to the Fuchs in the Bundeswehr.
(Photo: Patria)
Berlin The Finnish armaments company Patria can hope for a major order from Germany. The Bundeswehr is to receive the Patria 6×6, which is to replace the aging Fuchs tanks. A corresponding declaration of intent already exists.
The army still has 825 units of the Fuchs in use, which are used as reconnaissance vehicles or troop transports, among other things. According to the German military, the fact that these can be obtained comparatively cheaply and quickly speaks for Patria.
During a visit to Berlin, CEO Esa Rautalinko was open to involving German industry. “We don’t have to set up another production facility of our own, which saves money,” he said in an interview with the Handelsblatt. In addition, a partner could also take over the service for the Patria 6×6.
Patria wheeled tanks: bid could be quick
With an annual turnover of 550 million euros most recently, Patria is rather small compared to the industry. The company could expand its capacities through cooperations. From an industry point of view, the manufacturers Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall could be considered, since both have the necessary experience in tank construction.
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It won’t work without it: According to CEO Rautalinko, Patria’s annual production to date is 40 vehicles. The Finns could not cover an order from Germany with this. The Fuchs model has been in service with the Bundeswehr for decades, so a successor is needed.
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The Patria is the device favored by the Bundeswehr because the wheeled armor is mature. A contract could be awarded quickly, since the federal government can order fully developed devices without a call for tenders. The government wants to finance the purchase from the regular defense budget and not from special funds that were created for rapid rearmament after the outbreak of the Ukraine war.
A replacement for the aging model is being sought.
(Photo: IMAGO/Sven Eckelkamp)
With the Patria, the Bundeswehr would receive a proven model: the wheeled armored vehicle has a modular structure and can therefore be equipped for various tasks. In addition to transporting troops, it could also be used as a reconnaissance tank or to take care of the wounded. “We have a fully developed product that we can adapt to national needs,” Rautalinko said.
In addition to Finland and Norway, users of wheeled armored vehicles also include Latvia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Most recently, Japan announced its interest in the vehicle. There, too, the CEO emphasized, the local industry had been brought on board.
Rautalinko promotes more European projects
Even if the Scandinavians are likely to receive the order from the Bundeswehr without an extensive tender, such procurement processes take a long time. “We are simply too slow in Europe at this point,” said Patria boss Rautalinko. The US is better positioned. “It’s faster there.”
For him, one way of finding a solution is to use uniform platforms on the basis of which as many countries as possible could equip their armed forces. “We should set up projects across Europe, so that they would be significantly cheaper and better,” says Rautalinko. In the process, each manufacturer could offer the skills that would be needed for the particular system.
Rautalinko has no worries that a group could go away empty-handed. “The demand in Europe is so great that we have to ask ourselves how we can meet it.” Patria is majority-owned by the Finnish state, and the armaments company Kongsberg from Norway also has a stake.
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