Succession of TPz Fuchs armoured personnel carrier is set: Today, Germany officially joined the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme with the signing of the Technical Arrangement (TA). The foundation stone was laid with signing of Memorandum of Understanding on June 14, 2022. CAVS are 6×6 wheeled vehicles from Finnish company Patria, which will replace the TPz Fuchs of the Bundeswehr.
For the CAVS, a modularity similar to that of the Boxer was chosen, where different variants are realized on one platform. Currently, there are already command vehicles and armoured personnel carriers. Further variants are planned, such as an amphibious vehicle with swimming capability or a 20mm mortar.
NATO STANAG protection class is regularly level 2, optionally level 4. However, a higher protection level also means more weight while the advantage of CAVS is that it weighs less than half of a Boxer.
“We are pleased that Germany has joined the CAVS programme through the TA signing,” says Jukka Holkeri, Executive Vice President Patria Global Division. “The programme offers the German Armed Forces the opportunity to procure, together with European partner nations, cost-effective, state-of-the-art and modular armoured vehicles developed through unprecedented multinational cooperation. Germany’s inclusion in the programme will enhance the mobility and security of supply of all participating nations and strengthen European capacity to act, while ensuring that Germany’s capability requirements and industrial policy interests are included.”
Series delivery of the vehicles began in November 2021 with the handover of first CAVS to Latvia, which has ordered more than 200 in total. Germany is now the fifth country to participate in this multinational programme. The others are Finland (lead), Estonia, Latvia and Sweden.
Dorothee Frank, Head of editorial team