Finland’s Patria has signed a contract with Japan Steel Works (JSW) to license produce its 8×8 Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) XP for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
Patria announced on 31 August that the agreement will provision for JSW to commence local production of the AMP XP platform to meet the requirements of the JGSDF’s Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier (WAPC) programme, along with sustainment services to the service. However, the company did not disclose specifics on the delivery schedule.
The Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) selected Patria’s AMV XP following a competitive tender to replace the JGSDF’s increasingly obsolescent fleet of Komatsu Type 96 APCs. The JGSDF is understood to operate around 400 Type 96 APCs since the type was adopted from the mid-1990s.
According to JMOD, the JGSDF’s AMV variants are expected to measure 8 m long, 2.83 m wide, and 2.40 m tall. The vehicles will have a weight of 25.4 tonnes and a top speed of 100 km/h with an operating range in excess of 500 km.
The JMOD had earlier engaged local company Komatsu and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to develop a new and more survivable 8×8 platform under the JGDSF’s Improved WAPC programme, with both companies offering separate designs.
However, the programme was eventually suspended in 2018 after concerns about the performance and survivability of the Komatsu prototype. A new request for information (RFI) was also released earlier that year, after Komatsu was unable to revise its design without adding cost.
JMOD’s Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) later announced in September 2019 that the General Dynamics Land Systems LAV 6.0, Patria’s AMV XP, and a submission from MHI will be evaluated for the refreshed WAPC programme.
by Jr Ng
