Eurosatory 2024 – Patria unveils the FAMOUS concept vehicle
At Eurosatory 2024 Patria of Finland, the industrial coordinator of Consortium FAMOUS, unveiled the concept vehicle developed with the support of the Europeam Defense Funds
With the arctic region becoming of increasing importance for NATO, the issues related to combat operations in the far north, characterised by very low temperatures and high snow in wintertime, and swamps and soft terrain in summertime, are also acquiring more relevance. In December 2021 Patria, as the industrial coordinator of consortium FAMOUS (European Future Highly Mobile Augmented Armoured Systems), signed a 9 million Euros funding agreement with the European Commission [1] that aimed at developing future technologies and performances to enhance ground combat capabilities, which led to the development of the next generation armoured vehicles, including those able to operate in extreme climates and geographical environments. In December 2022 a grant agreement for 95 million Euros from European Defence Fund (EDF) was signed to proceed into the second phase of the FAMOUS programme. This is the development and prototyping phase.
The consortium includes during its ongoing second phase 18 companies, under the coordination of Patria. The other companies part of consortium FAMOUS, representing 9 different countries, are: Arquus (France), JCD (Belgium), Kongsberg(Norway), AVL (Austria), Diehl Defence (Germany), Escribano Mechanical & Engineering (Spain), Fy-Composites (Finland), Indra Sistemas (Spain), Integrated Systems Development (Greece), Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (Latvia), Millog Oy (Finland), KNDS France (France), Piedrafita (Spain), Savox Communications (Finland), Spinverse (Finland), Integris (Denmark).
The first concrete outcome of the FAMOUS programme is theATV concept vehicle, is a 15 tonnes multi-purpose tracked vehicle platform which first variant, seen in Paris, is the armoured personnel carrier. It can carry a two-man crew and 10 dismounts. Being a concept vehicles Patria does not share information on the engine, which indicative power is 250 kW (340 hp), and on tracks; EDR On-Line understands that the company is testing different solutions from different suppliers. The side of the vehicle was covered, Patria not wishing to unveil the suspensions used, here too as apparently the prototype is being exploited to test different solutions.
The driver and commander are seated at the front, behind the large armoured windscreen; the transmission is located at the front of the vehicle, while the engine is placed on the left side, behind the driver, leaving a corridor between the commander and the rear compartment. Dismounts are seated on energy absorbing seats, the same used on Patria 6×6 APCs, in two rows of five, right and left, looking inwards. The crew access the vehicle through two side doors, while dismounts ingress and egress the vehicle via a rear door hinged on the left.
This concept vehicle’s firepower is provided by a remotely controlled weapon station by Kongsberg and KNDS France, which adapted it to the FAMOUS requirements, while at the back, on the left side, a pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns was mounted, the gunner managing it through a hatch. The rear part of the vehicle can be transformed to cope with other missions, the 3.5 tonne payload providing good flexibility, a version without the armoured cabin ensuring an even higher payload. In the APC version protection is at Level 1 ballistic and Level 1 blast according to STANAG. According to data made available during the unveiling ceremony, the FAMOUS ATV has reached its targeted 80 km/h top speed during recent tests, its range being 600 km, exceeding the top speed requirement. The FAMOUS ATV is capable to climb a 60% gradient; on an 8.5% gradient it can move at 60 km/h, it is able to overcome a 2 metres wide trench, and to travel in water at 4 km/h.
“The FAMOUS programme is fully aligned with the European Commission’s goal to enhance the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the EU’s defence industry,” Mikko Karppinen, Senior Vice President, Protected Mobility and Defence Systems of Patria, said at the unveiling ceremony. “We are very proud to reveal this Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier concept vehicle generated with the support of FAMOUS programme. We have now proceeded to the concept testing stage and the performance of the future solution can be tested in practice.”
The work was done in the lead of Finland, which representatives also took the stage during the short ceremony.
The concept vehicle seen in Paris is supported by the FAMOUS programme. In the second phase of the project Consortium FAMOUS plans to have a real prototype ready by year end to start tests, with the aim of comparing performances versus requirements. A second concept vehicle will be produced by Patria, integrating technologies by partner companies..
Photos by P. Valpolini
[1] The project has received funding from the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) under Grant Agreements No EDIDP-GCC-2020-058- FAMOUS and European Defence Fund (EDF) Project 101103043 — FAMOUS2.
