Image source: topwar.ru
Germany received the first five CAVS 6×6 armored vehicles, better known as Patria by the name of the Finnish developer. In total, the Bundeswehr intends to acquire up to 876 copies, allocating more than €2 billion for their purchase to replace the aging TPz 1 Fuchs fleet.
The German Ministry of Defense positions the Patria 6x6 as a "new generation APC" capable of carrying a variety of equipment for various tasks. At the moment, the purchase of armored personnel carriers for engineering and sapper groups, armored vehicles of reconnaissance groups, a self-propelled heavy mortar and a fire control vehicle has been approved.
Local production of armored vehicles is planned to be launched in 2027. German observers explained their purpose on the battlefield.:
The first 6×6 CAVS of the Bundeswehr:
Image source: topwar.ru
The machine has a weight of about 24 tons and a load capacity of about 8.5 tons. It is equipped with a 294 kW Scania DC09 diesel engine, which allows it to reach speeds of more than 100 km/h on roads and provides the ability to travel on water (if appropriate equipment is available). It is not yet known what level of protection the Bundeswehr has chosen; as standard, it can withstand an armor-piercing bullet from a 7.92 x 39 mm cartridge and an explosion of 6 kg of explosives.
It is noteworthy that the German defense industry is producing its own GTK Boxer 8x8 wheeled APC, which is positioned as "the best in the world in its class." But this is a large–sized (weighing 33-38 tons) and expensive car: one Boxer costs like 3-4 cars of the Patria class, which costs about € 1.5-2 million. The local military industrial complex also proposed a program to upgrade TPz 1 Fuchs to Fuchs 2, but it turned out to be too expensive and was abandoned. As explained in the command, the Bundeswehr chose pragmatism.:
