Denmark boosts defense with Patria 6x6 and Mistral deal
Denmark has decided to acquire 130 Finnish Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers and several hundred Mistral anti-aircraft missiles. Here, we present the capabilities of this weaponry.
The Danish Ministry of Defence announced the signing of a contract with the Finnish company Patria to acquire 130 six-wheeled armoured personnel carriers for £220 million. The first units will be delivered as early as 2025.
The purchase was financed from a special defence fund valued at £5.8 billion, earmarked for 2025-2026. Additionally, during King Frederick X of Denmark and Queen Maria's visit to France, an agreement was concluded for several hundred Mistral 3 missiles.
Patria 6x6 - utilising experiences from the Polish KTO Rosomak
The Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers, first showcased at the Eurosatory trade fair in 2018, were developed in response to the needs of Finland, Estonia, and Latvia for a more compact armoured personnel carrier.
Although the new Patria 6x6 is structurally based on the XA model, it draws heavily from the experiences gained while operating the more significant, eight-wheeled Patria AMV platform. The latter is the foundation for the highly regarded KTO Rosomak transporter in Poland and Ukraine.
The most significant change in the Patria 6x6 model is the replacement of driver viewports with bullet-proof glass, which improves visibility and facilitates driver training. While this solution provides less protection than steel armour, the transporter is designed to move in frontline zones, not conduct assaults.
In the context of so-called "frontline taxis," key features include protection against artillery fragments, small arms, and mines. Patria emphasises that their vehicle is available in variants meeting the STANAG 4569 standard in class II or IV, regarding both ballistic protection and mine resistance.
The lighter version of the transporter can withstand fire from an AK rifle using 7.62×39 mm calibre API BZ rounds from a distance of 30 metres or the explosion of a mine containing 6 kilograms of TNT. Meanwhile, the heavier variant is resistant to fire from large-calibre machine guns, KPW using 14.5×114 mm ammunition B32 from 200 metres or a mine explosion containing 10 kilograms of TNT.
Mistral 3 missiles - France's last line of anti-aircraft defence
Currently produced since 2019, the third version of the missile, originally developed at the end of the 1990s, is equipped with an even more sensitive IIR (Imaging Infrared) sensor that detects the target's infrared image, along with modified algorithms that enhance effectiveness against small targets such as drones.
Moreover, other changes in the Mistral 3 missiles have resulted in an increased range of up to 8 kilometres and a maximum interception altitude of 6. The missile reaches a speed of Mach 2.71 and carries a 3-kilogram fragmentation warhead. It is a very effective weapon, although using the Mistral requires setting up a light launcher.
Mistral missiles are used in over twenty countries as handheld anti-aircraft systems (MANPADS), armament for ships or land vehicles, and even helicopters.
