Japan Steel Works to begin local production of Patria AMV in September

A Patria AMV 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle (Credit: Patria)

DSEI JAPAN — Japan Steel Works will begin licensed production of Finnish firm Patria’s AMV 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle in September this year, Patria officials said.

According to Patria’s Technology Transfer Manager Janne Pulkkinen, the production of the AMV in Japan will start with vehicle assembly using parts and subassemblies imported from Finland.

It will then transition to using a network of local subcontractors for locally sourced and manufactured parts as part of the license agreement, according to a company news release issued on May 16.

Patria’s wheeled vehicle was selected by Japan in 2022 to replace the Type 96 wheeled armored personnel carrier that is in service with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF).

A team from Japan Steel Works had recently spent five months in Finland learning about the processes for manufacturing the vehicles. The program included assembling the first Japanese AMV under the guidance of Patria’s local staff.

Patria’s staff will also be closely involved in supporting technical matters during the preparation phase and at the start of production, which according to a company spokesperson at the DSEI Japan expo will take place at Japan Steel Works’ facilities in Hiroshima.

Patria’s Key Customer Director Markus Louhivuori also said discussions have been held with Japan Steel Works to expand collaboration to include Patria NEMO mortar systems and special vehicles based on the AMV.

The company says that Japan will eventually have a requirement for “several hundred” vehicles, although the exact number is unclear.

Japan currently operates approximately 380 Type 96 armored personnel carriers and has already allocated funds for a total of 82 AMVs in its defense budgets for fiscal years 2023, 2024 and 2025, at a total cost of 56.1 billion yen ($389.9 million).

In addition to the AMV, the JGSDF is also introducing the Type 24 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle under the Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle program.

Based on a common chassis the Type 16 Maneuver Combat Vehicle, manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will build three different variants of the Type 24, which will likely be assigned to the JGSDF’s reconnaissance and rapid deployment units alongside the Type 16.

These will include an Infantry Fighting Vehicle equipped with a 30mm Bushmaster Mk.44 automatic cannon, a mortar vehicle and a Reconnaissance Combat Vehicle variant, with Japan having already allocated funding for 32 vehicles in its FY24 defense budget and another 32 in FY25.