Thursday, September 25, 2008

Slovenian Army’s New APCs: Patria’s AMVs

Slovenian Army’s New APCs: Patria’s AMVs (NSI News Source Info) September 25, 2008: On June 12/06, the Slovenian Ministry of Defence announced that Patria’s Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) had been selected as the preferred vehicle for the its armored vehicle program. Patria notes that the order will include 135 wheeled armored personnel carriers in 4 different versions, including one variant with Patria’s new unmanned NEMO 120mm mortar turret. The deal had been negotiated at EUR 278 million (about $367 million), with deliveries to take place from 2007-2013.
Patria AMV w. NEMO turret
That order is still going through, but Israel’s Elbit suffered a recent setback when its ORCWS rmotely-operated turrets were removed from the program. They will be replaced by a competitor… AMV w. RLS IFV turret The AMV’s most frequent competition comes from General Dynamics’ twin subsidiaries: Steyr with its Pandur II, and MOWAG with its LAV III Piranha. The December 2006 Patria release touts their AMV’s status as ”...first of its kind in the world with the unique level of mine protection certified by South African authorities.” Even so, each competitor has seen its share of recent wins. Patria had won some of these competitions, including a large 690-vehicle contract in Poland, plus 84 AMV orders from Finland so far that include 24 breech-loading 120mm AMOS twin-mortar variants. It has also lost competitions in Belgium (242 LAV III Piranhas for $850 million) The Czech Republic (199 Pandur IIs for $1 billion), and Portugal (260 Pandur IIs for $482 million). The Slovenian award was a significant win for Patria in this context, and it was also significant as the first sale of their new single-barreled New Efficient MOrtar 120mm system, introduced in June 2006. Patria is better known for its twin-barreled and manned AMOS 120mm mortar turret, developed in partnership with BAE Hagglunds. Despite initial orders of 2 AMOS systems for the Finnish Army and 2 evaluation systems for Sweden, Defense Update describes AMOS as having an “inhibitive price tag.” This may create a market opportunity for the single-barreled EMO, despite its lower rate of fire. The AMV vehicles will be manufactured in Finland and in Slovenia with local co-operation partners. Industrial offsets will include 30% direct offsets within the contract, and 70% other Slovenian items exported globally. Production will gradually be transferred to Slovenia in 2007 and 2008, with Rotis and Gorenje in prominent roles. Patria Oyj is owned 25%/75% by the Finnish State and EADS, and its AMV has been in serial production since 2004. UPDATES: Sept 19/08: The Slovenian Ministry of Defence removes Elbit’s ORCWS systems from the program, due to “shortcomings discovered in testing… above all at very low temperatures.” The ministry judged that Patria’s Slovenian intermediary Rotis d.o.o. had failed to secure the contractually agreed quality and reliability level of the weapon stations. Rotis has suggested Kongsberg’s M151 Protector system as a replacement, and accepted all the risks and costs of the change. This removes the up-gunned 30mm gun option, as the M151 is limited to a range up to 12.7mm machine guns, and 40mm grenade machine guns. The Slovenian ministry has signed an annex to the contract to change that term, though prices and the delivery deadlines have not changed. Slovenian MoD release. July 25/07: Elbit Systems announces a contract to supply overhead remote controlled weapon stations and unmanned turrets, as well as other electronic and electro-optical systems and components, for the Slovenian Armored Vehicle Program. Their portion is valued at approximately $ 40 million, with deliveries scheduled to take place through 2011. Elbit Systems is working with Patria AMV, and they will deliver laser detection systems along with their 30mm ORCWS-30 and ORCWS (for 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns, or 40mm grenade machine guns) remote-control turrets on board Patria AMV 8X8 vehicles. ORCWS stands for Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon System, and is controlled from within the vehicle using a joystick and screen that shows imagery from the ORCWS’ multi-spectral sensor systems. See “Elbit Wins ORCWS Turret Orders" for more.

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