Estonia joins Finland and Latvia in armoured vehicle development programme

Estonia has signed a technical agreement with Finland and Latvia enabling it to continue to participate in the programme to develop military requirements and a platform for a common wheeled armoured vehicle, the Estonian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on its website on 6 April.

Patria is offering a 6x6 platform for the joint armoured vehicle development programme between Finland, Latvia, and Estonia. (Patria)

The agreement was signed by Kristjan Prikk, permanent secretary in the Estonian MoD, who said, Our primary goal here is to develop a platform that meets the requirements of Estonian Defence Forces with a favourable price. The MoD added that the platform could be a possible replacement of its older Pasi armoured vehicles, a decision on which will be made with the new Estonian national defence development plan.

Prikk emphasised the importance of the economic dimension of international defence co-operation. In the current [Covid-19] crisis, it is also crucial that we continue to strengthen our defence capability and, if possible, lay the foundation for creating new jobs or maintaining existing ones in the Estonian defence industry sector, he said.

Jussi Järvinen, president of Patria’s land business unit, described the 6x6 platform that the company is offering for the joint vehicle development programme as very cost effective, emphasising that with the Covid-19 crisis it is important that this programme will proceed as planned. He promised to build security of supply and set up a co-operation model to be prepared for crisis situations together with local industry.