BOV 8x8 Patria

The BOV 8x8 Patria (Bojové Obrnené Vozidlo 8x8 Patria) is an 8×8 multi-role military vehicle produced by Patria Land oy., a Konštrukta – Defence company, in Dubnica nad Váhom with cooperation with DMD group and ZTS špeciál. The vehicle is a licensed variant of the Finnish Patria AMVxp.

History
In August 2022, the Slovak Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď signed a contract to buy 76 Patria AMV vehicles, that will be partly manufactured in Slovakia. Main competitors of tha Patria AMV were the Pandur II and Mowag Piranha V. In the original order, Slovakia bought 60 Infantry fighting vehicles, 10 ambulante versions and 6 Command post versions. Vehicles will be delivered between 2023 and 2027.

BOV Patria will replace out dated Soviet era BMP-1's and OT-90s that serve in 2nd Mechanized Brigade.

History of vehicle development
Slovak Ministry of Defence already wanted to buy 8x8 vehicles in 2015. The first 8x8 vehicle was ment to be based on KTO Rosomak not on original Patria AMV platform. The vehicle was designed by Polish Armaments Group and Slovak company ZTS špeciál. The name of the vehicle was Scipio. Slovakia wanted to buy around thirty of these vehicles. But for financial reasons the project was cancelled.

Again in 2017 government started a procuremnt of 8x8 platform, which is today one the most non-transparent procurements in Slovak history. The vehicle had name BOV 8x8 Vydra. But after the elections new Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď in 2019 completely rejected the procurement of BOV Vydra. Then in 2022 Ministry of Defence under Jaroslav Naď started a tender in which Patria AMVXP won. The BOV Patria has much similarities with its predecessor. But the main differences are bigger armor protection. NATO compatibile caliber cannon and that the old Vydra was based on Patria AMV while BOV Patria is based on newer Patria AMVXP.

Vehicle specifications and armament
BOV Patria is armed with Slovak derivate of Shipunov 2A42 named GTS-30/N which can fire standard NATO 30x173mm caliber coupled with 7.62×51mm NATO FN MAG machine gun and Spike LR missiles. The cannon and machine gun is installed in Slovak gun turret TURRA 30. TURRA 30 uses advanced Fire-control systems with Thermal sights and 81mm GALIX or TUČA smoke grenade launcher.

Armour protection
The basic structure of the vehicle provides protection for every person inside the vehicle according to STANAG 4569, level 4a/b. (explosion of a 10 kg TNT anti-personnel mine under any wheel or under the floor of the vehicle). The hull of the vehicle is protected by STANAG 4569, level 3a/b and turret is protected by STANAG 4569, level 1.

Vehicle specifications
Vehicle is about 8.2 meters long, around 3 meters wide and 3.7 meters high. Maximum combat weight of the vehicle is about 28 tons and maximum weight for swimming is 25 tons.

Variants

 * BOV Patria - Standard Infantry fighting vehicle variant that uses 30 mm caliber cannon can carry up to 7 people without a crew.
 * Patria AMBS -BOV Patria ambulance version with medical equipment. The vehicle comes without the turret and machine gun.
 * Patria V - Command and control post version of BOV Patria vehicle, with more advanced communicational equipment and less space for carrying troops.

Future of the vehicle
In the long-term development plans, the Slovak Armed Forces plan to procure up to 500 8x8 vehicles. The procurement is divided into 5 phases. The phases will be implemented gradually between 2022 and 2035. First phase was already implemented. After completion of every phase Slovak Armed Forces should have in its service around 20 variants of BOV Patria 8x8.

Current operators

 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia: 75 vehicles on order one vehicle already delivered.