Armored 6×6 Vehicle to be Deployed by Finnish Forces

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As part of an effort to increase and enhance the armored vehicle fleet of the Finnish Defense Forces, the Armed Forces of Finland have awarded a local company a contract to deliver four Protected Multi Purpose Vehicles (PMPV). The PMPV in question is a six wheel drive armored vehicle intended to transport military personnel through dangerous areas.

Currently, the vehicle is going through operational testing. These experiments will help the Finnish Defense Forces reach a decision regarding if they want more units of the vehicle.

Developed by the Finnish company Protolab, the PMPV has been designed to be able to operate as a command post, as well as perform missions such as patrols and transports. The armored vehicle can also be delivered as a medical evacuation variant, and even an amphibious variant of the PMPV exists.

The relatively narrow armored vehicle, will be large enough to carry two crew members and another ten fully geared soldiers. If the PMPV is transporting equipment rather than troops, then the vehicle can carry up to a 10 ton payload, both when driving on-road and off-road.

Since the vehicle is only about 2.55 meters wide, the PMPV will be able to operate in tighter urban areas. The vehicle’s designers have designed to keep the vehicle as flexible and safe as possible in regards to today’s battlefield. “We designed the Protolab PMPV 6×6 to meet the requirements of today’s soldier and today’s asymmetric battlefield,” said Juha Moisio, Protolab’s business development director.

Army-technology.com reports that the PMPV comes equipped with high level ballistic and mine protection. The vehicle can also be integrated with various weapon systems.

Protolab officials believe that the PMPV can be a practical replacement for any military’s armored 6×6 vehicles.