Patria AMVXP for Lithuania: Technically the most advanced 8x8 vehicle

Patria AMVXP offered to Lithuania is a 30-tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW) 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicle, which is the elite among the Patria AMV product family. XP stands for extra protection, extra payload and extra performance.

Patria AMV has been sold so far to seven different countries - Croatia, Finland, Poland, Slovenia, South-Africa, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates - with more than 1400 vehicles under contract or delivered. Vast majority of these vehicles, about 90 %, have been manufactured for export customers and notable is that most of the vehicles are either IFV (infantry fighting vehicle) or APC (armoured personnel carrier) variants. Naturally significant number of different other variants have been delivered to customers as well including command vehicles (C4I), mortar variants with AMOS mortars, repair and recovery vehicles, ambulances etc.

Earlier Patria AMV vehicles were having GVW from 23-27 tonnes while AMVXP offered to Lithuania is having 30 tonnes GVW providing some 13 tonnes of payload. AMVXP is also available as an amphibious version up to the GVW of some 28 tonnes and operating at the Sea State 2 –level. The layout of all Patria AMV product family members is the same; the driver is sitting at the front left – powerpack at front right and the rear part of the vehicle hull is normally the troop compartment (IFV & APC).

Patria AMV’s hull is done from welded steel armour. On top of which there is always add-on armour which is bolted on. This enables the easy replacement of damaged sections without any special tools. The add-on armour can also be easily replaced if threat level changes (peacetime training vrs. conflict) or when new materials and technologies are emerging in the future. Protection level is always tailored according to customer needs.

Patria AMVXP is meeting fully the Lithuanian protection requirements (protection level classified) the ballistic protection, mine- & IED-protection – and the previously explained vehicle structure (welded armoured steel hull + add-on protection) gives growth potential for the protection level. The hull design also enables local production with minimum number of pieces and complex welding.

Patria AMVs can be integrated with various high firepower weapon systems – from 30 mm gun up to 105/120 mm gun, 120 mm single Patria Nemo or twin barreled AMOS mortar system or remote weapon stations (RWS) from 5.56/7.62 mm MG up to 12.7 mm HMG, heavy machine gun or even up to 25 mm gun. Vehicle can also be fitted with a 360° situational awareness system (SAS) for the dismounts & crew, a battlefield management system (BMS) and health and usage monitoring system (HUMS). Majority of the main weapon systems starting from 7.62mm MG & 12.7 mm HMG, 30 mm gun up to 105/120 mm gun that are available in the market have been integrated to Patria AMV and they been successfully operated & fired.

Vehicle’s design is flexible and allows changes both to the operational roles and due to built-in modularity extensive redesign in not needed if vehicle needs to be adapted for new mission role. The armoured hull is mounted on drive / sub frame which consists from two-parts (front/rear), this enables easy replacement if one part of the drive line is damaged.

The powerpack consist of Scania 13-liter straight-six diesel engine providing some 450 kW (612 hp) linked to ZF fully automatic 7-speed automatic transmission. This gives the vehicle top speed on roads over 100 km/h and an operating range up to 1000 km.

Two front axles are steering the vehicle while rear-axle steering (RAS) is available as an option. In AMVs the RAS effect at higher speeds is reduced for safety reasons. Vehicle is equipped with central tyre inflation system on 14.00 R20 tyres (run-flat device) – suspension is fully independent, with double wishbones on each of the wheel stations and hydropneumatic springs. In AMVXP the vehicle is equipped with integrated terrain control system (ITCS) which automatically based on selection of the conditions by the driver adapts the powerpack, suspension and tyre pressure to suit the conditions.

Vehicle is equipped with ABS-brakes (hydraulic disc-brakes), NBC-protection system & airconditioning and in order to meet the power needs the electrical power is provided by 530 Amp generator connected to maintenance free batteries.

Patria AMV is combat proven in ISAF operation Afghanistan where they have been in use since 2007 by the Polish & Slovenian troops. It also thoroughly tested in wide variety if harsh conditions in Finland, Europe, North-America, South-America and in Middle-East, Africa and Asia.