Denmark joins European CAVS armored vehicle program

Denmark has formally joined the multinational Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) program, becoming the fifth participating country in the European defense collaboration, alongside Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Germany.

The CAVS initiative centers around the development and deployment of a 6×6 armored vehicle platform designed to enhance mobility, protection, and interoperability among European defense forces.

The 6×6 vehicle system is developed by Patria, a Finnish defense company with more than 40 years of experience in troop transport and integrated system support. In a statement, Mats Warstedt, Senior Vice President for Market Area Nordics at Patria, said, “Patria welcomes Denmark’s swift decision to join the CAVS programme. The constantly evolving European security landscape has resulted into a high need of multinational collaboration enhancing interoperability and security of supply between allied nations.”

Warstedt added, “Supported by EU’s European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), the CAVS programme is a prime example for creating the desired common capabilities in a quick and cost-effective manner.”

Under the program, most of the vehicle supply chain relies on the local industrial capacities of member nations. Each new participant, according to Patria, strengthens the collective security of supply and contributes to greater industrial resilience across the alliance.

Patria says it has received orders for more than 850 of its 6×6 vehicles and has already delivered over 200. The company emphasizes that the CAVS framework remains open to other European countries with compatible equipment needs, pending approval by existing members.

The Danish Ministry of Defence has not yet released specific procurement numbers or deployment timelines, but the decision signals Copenhagen’s growing alignment with regional defense initiatives and collective readiness planning.

The CAVS program, backed in part by the European Union through the EDIRPA mechanism, reflects broader efforts to consolidate defense procurement, reduce duplication, and increase interoperability within Europe’s evolving security architecture.