Kongsberg to Supply Remote Weapon Stations for Sweden and Finland's 6×6 Armored Vehicles

Defense News ,Sewdwn :-  In a deal worth 1.2 billion Norwegian kroner ($110 million), Kongsberg has signed a contract with Patria to equip Sweden and Finland's 6x6 Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS) platforms with Protector remote weapon stations.

The CAVS program aims to create a unified amphibious fleet for European Union members' military forces, with Patria as the main contractor. Over 300 vehicles ordered by Sweden and Finland will receive Kongsberg's remote turret capability in its RS4 variant under this agreement.

Deliveries of the Protector remote weapon stations are scheduled to start in 2025 and continue through the 2030s.

Esa Rautalinko, CEO and President of Patria, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, highlighting the importance of shared military equipment among Nordic countries for interoperability and logistical efficiency. This initiative also supports NATO's goal of equipment interchangeability and ensuring security of supply.

The Protector RS4, weighing up to 190 kilograms (419 pounds), can be equipped with various armaments including machine guns, Gatling guns, grenade launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles for countering heavy enemy vehicles. It also features non-lethal effectors.

Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, hailed the contract as a significant achievement for the international CAVS program, emphasizing the benefits of delivering weapon systems to multiple countries under one contract and highlighting the efficiency and unity benefits of the partner nations.

Patria developed the CAVS vehicle based on its 8x8 armored military vehicle, with the new 6x6 system capable of traveling up to 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour on land and 5 miles (8 kilometers) on water.

The program partners, including Latvia, selected the platform as their common system in 2020, with Sweden and Germany joining later. In March 2024, Patria secured a contract to supply 321 CAVS platforms to Sweden, while Finland had previously ordered 40 CAVS vehicles, with an additional 20-unit order placed in June 2023.