The Finland Division is responsible for sales, marketing and customer accounts of Patria products and services in Finland. The main customer is the Finnish Defence Forces, but it also serves other security-critical authorities.
The Finland Division consists of four units: Air Force, Army, Navy and Joint & Security. This structure clarifies responsibilities and communications with the customer. In line with the new strategy, operations increasingly seek to employ a customer-focused approach to need fulfilment.
Patria’s deep and wide-ranging strategic partnership with the Finnish Defence Forces is a cost-effective operating model – Patria performs its role as a partner to all the branches of defence on a systematic and long-term basis, providing savings for customers. The key benefit is security of supply. Customers can count on Patria’s support even in exceptional circumstances.
Patria continuously invests in the development of its partnership with the Finnish Defence Forces. As in earlier years, deliveries in 2022 were carried out as agreed.
The products and services that Patria provides to the Finnish Defence Forces also serve as an important reference to customers in international markets, where Patria is seeking substantial growth in the years ahead with domestic support. Extensive and seamless R&D with the Finnish Defence Forces in turn helps Patria to develop competitive new products. One good example of the mutual benefits of R&D is the EU-funded FAMOUS programme, which develops technologies and performance for future mobile armoured systems. The programme includes nine EU countries – in Finland, it focuses on developing the Arctic mobility of the Finnish Army.
Strong partnership with the Air Force continues
Patria’s largest customer in Finland is the Finnish Air Force. This partnership covers the heavy maintenance of aircraft and their engines, along with repairs, upgrades, structural modifications and system development. In addition, Patria is responsible for elementary and basic pilot training for the Air Force, Army and Border Guard.
In 2022, Patria responded to the growing lifecycle service needs of the Air Force by stepping up its own capacity and performance, such as by recruiting new employees.
Major deliveries to the Finnish Army
Patria’s partnership with the Finnish Army is based above all on Patria’s own product and service offering as well as robust expertise in integration projects involving the installation of systems made by different manufacturers, such as in vehicles.
In June, Patria supplied the Army with a prototype series of 6×6 armoured vehicles under the letter of intent for the delivery of a total of 160 vehicles in the years ahead that Patria had signed with the Finnish Ministry of Defence.
The order is part of the 6×6 armoured vehicle system R&D programme (CAVS project). In addition to Patria, this project involves Finland, Latvia, Sweden and Germany.
In November, Patria finalised the lifecycle upgrade project of the XA-180 armoured personnel carriers and handed over the last of the vehicles to the Army. The modernisation of the XA series has been an important project for Patria – it will ensure the lifecycle and usability of the vehicles until the 2040s.
Fast attack craft for the Finnish Navy
Patria’s cooperation with the Finnish Navy encompasses, for instance, demanding vessel integration projects, deliveries of underwater systems and diesel engine maintenance.
In September, Patria handed over the last lifecycle-upgraded Hamina Class fast attack craft to the Navy. A total of four fast attack craft underwent a large-scale overhaul
and lifecycle upgrade in 2018-2022 to ensure their future performance.
Patria held overall responsibility for the lifecycle upgrade and was the main integrator, supplier and designer. This project is a great example of Patria’s strong expertise in system integration.
Security-critical system and equipment deliveries
Patria makes complex system and equipment deliveries to other Finnish security authorities as well. Its areas of special expertise are reconnaissance, surveillance and command systems, as well as their integration and lifecycle support.
For example, in a joint project of the security authorities, Patria supplied an advanced field management system that provides authorities participating in an operation with a real-time situational picture and enables seamless cooperation.
Security-critical systems are now more dependent on software and other digital solutions, and this will open up additional opportunities for Patria to partner up and develop new systems for the authorities.
Source: Patria’s Annual Report 2022.
