Patria has signed contract with Finnish Army to modernize XA-180 6x6 armoured personnel carrier 2112

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Defence & Security News - Finland
 
 
Saturday, December 21, 2013 09:56 AM
 
Patria has signed a contract with Finnish Army to modernize XA-180 6x6 armoured personnel carrier.

The Finnish Defence Forces and Patria have signed a contract on the lifecycle update of XA-180 personnel carriers, Pasi armoured vehicles. This modernisation project will secure the vehicles’ lifecycles and usability way into the future.

     
The Finnish Defence Forces and Patria have signed a contract on the lifecycle update of XA-180 personnel carriers, Pasi armoured vehicles. This modernisation project will secure the vehicles’ lifecycles and usability way into the future.
XA-180 6x6 armoured vehicle personnel carrier of Finnish Army.
     

The modifications to be implemented include new seats to enhance safety in traffic, new electrical systems with instrument panels and new exterior surface coatings. Even key components such as engines, power transmission and axles, will be inspected and repaired, or replaced if necessary. This also will enhance vehicle performance.

The contract involves the overhaul of a pre-series vehicle in 2014 and a series of 70 vehicles in 2015-2017 alongside an option to modernise 210 vehicles by the end of 2021. This project, named XA MLU, will be implemented in collaboration with Oricopa Oy, a subcontractor to Patria. The project will have a significant impact on employment in both companies with the estimated number of person-workyears totalling more than 200.

“Since the oldest of these vehicles date back to the early 1980s, the total life-span of this successful Patria product is extremely long, more than 50 years in some cases.
As the original manufacturer of these vehicles, Patria has extensive in-depth know-how of armoured wheeled vehicles. This enables us to produce a high quality solution for the Defence Forces, in order to extend the life-span of the Pasi series”, says Seppo Seppälä, President of Patria Land Systems and Patria Land Services.

“This is an extremely significant domestic defence project, a vital step for Patria in the development of the service business and a good reference for similar international projects in which we intend to be actively involved in the near future”, says Mr Seppälä.

The acquisition forms part of the Finnish Defence Forces’ land defence development programme to enhance the mobility of troops. The life-cycle updated vehicles will be used by regional and operational units in particular.