DVD 2026: Babcock plans eight Patria 6x6 variants for British Army with at least 60% local content

Patria 6x6 air defence variant with a RapidRanger missile mount displayed by Thales UK at DVD 2026. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)

Babcock plans eight variants of the Patria 6x6 armoured vehicle for the British Army with at least 60% local content, the company's head of business development, Ollie Walton, told Janes during a parliamentary evening in London on 14 September 2026.

Two possible versions were displayed at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration (DVD) 2026 exhibition held in Millbrook, UK, on 16-17 September: a counter-unmanned aircraft system with a Kongsberg Protector RS4 remote weapon station and an air defence version with a RapidRanger missile mount integrated by Thales UK. Other versions include armoured personnel carrier (APC) and ambulance variants.

Speaking during the parliamentary evening on 14 September and journalists after his speech at DVD 2026 on 16 September, UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said his ministry was not seeking the “most Gucci system” with the Patria 6x6 vehicle, referring to not requiring the most expensive solution. On 14 September, he said the programme would contribute to UK reindustrialisation. At DVD 2026, he could not yet give details of the types and numbers of Patria 6x6 vehicles the UK would procure, which is still to be determined.

In September 2025, Babcock joined the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme, which according to the company includes domestic manufacturing of Patria 6x6 vehicles at its Plymouth facility, technology transfer, and a sovereign variant leadership model. Pollard said Patria 6x6 production by Babcock would be comparable to the Defence Uncrewed Systems Centre opened in Swindon on 12 June 2026.

During the parliamentary evening on 14 September, Babcock Land and Mission Systems CEO Louise Atkinson said the programme would involve 80 UK small and medium-size enterprises.