Japan selects Patria AMV XP 8×8 as new armored personnel carrier vehicle for Japanese army
On December 9, 2022, the Finnish company Patria announced that the Japan Ministry of Defense selected the Patria AMV XP 8×8 armored vehicle for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force as their next Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier 8×8 vehicle under the WAPC program. The new Patria vehicle will replace the Type-96 8×8 armored personnel carrier vehicles which are currently in service with the Japanese army.
The selection includes manufacturing licenses of the vehicles in Japan, with a solid contribution to the local economy and technology development securing the supply and service in Japan. The Patria AMV XP 8×8 vehicles will be replacing the Type-96 8×8 Armored Personnel Carrier vehicles which are currently in service by Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
The AMX XP is a modernized version of the Patria AMV that was unveiled in 2013 during DSEI, an international defense exhibition that was held in the United Kingdom. In August 2022, Slovakia and Finland, along with Patria, signed a government-to-government agreement for the procurement of 76 Patria 8×8 AMV XP Armoured Modular Vehicles for the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic,
The new version of the Patria offers more payload, mobility, and protection capabilities. The design of the AMV XP is similar to the previous version with the power pack at the front, the driver front left, the weapon station in the middle on the top hull, and the troop compartment at the rear. The vehicle has a crew of two and can accommodate up to 10 infantrymen. It can be fitted with different types of turrets including a remotely operated weapon station. The AMX XP is able to be armed with a 120mm cannon, medium-caliber weapon systems, Patria Nemo mortar turret, as well as anti-tank or anti-aircraft missile systems.
“The selection of Patria AMV XP 8×8 and our proven licensing model is a great proof of Patria’s capability to deliver the latest technology and to enable local security of supply. Patria AMV XP 8×8 has successfully proven its superior performance, as well as its mobility and protection, in various crisis management missions, and Japan will be the ninth user country of Patria’s AMV vehicle family. Patria has industry-leading experience of licensing and cooperation with local industries in many countries, and we are committed to this in Japan as well. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force will receive state-of-the-art and high-performance Japanese-manufactured AMV XP 8×8 vehicles to support critical operations for decades to come”, says Janne Räkköläinen, Senior Vice President of Market Area World at Patria.
Patria has worked for the WAPC program since 2018 and it has also established a local subsidiary, Patria Japan Ltd., to support its activities in Japan. The next step in the program is license negotiations which will start immediately. Patria has a very strong heritage of providing services and high-technology systems engaging successfully with local industries and providing the local security of supply. Patria sees the selection of Patria AMVXP 8×8 as a great opportunity to further develop cooperation in Japan with new services and solutions as well as to establish long-term strategic partnerships with Japan and its industries.
The Type 96 is an armored personnel carrier that was designed by the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, especially for the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force. The vehicle entered into service with the Japanese army in 1999. The hull of the Type 96 is of all-welded construction providing protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. Currently, it is the standard wheeled APC of the Japanese army.