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31 Oct 25. Patria signs a Letter of Intent with Valmet Automotive to join in armoured vehicle production and testing. Patria Land Oy (‘Patria’) and Valmet Automotive Oyj (‘Valmet Automotive’) have signed a Letter of Intent (‘LOI’) on manufacturing and testing armoured vehicles at Valmet Automotive’s facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland. Patria’s Protected Mobility business, which includes the Patria 6×6, Patria AMV XP, and Patria TRACKX armoured vehicle programmes, has grown significantly in recent years. Accordingly, Patria has substantially increased its own production and is investing in its facilities in Hämeenlinna, Finland and Valmiera, Latvia, while continuing to promote its technology transfer and local manufacturing concept.
“Patria is focused on delivering to existing customers and boosting production capacity to meet rising demand for Patria’s armoured vehicles. Patria’s production levels are well positioned to fulfill all existing orders; however, we are seeking additional capacity. Therefore, Patria is now considering a partnership also with Valmet Automotive in manufacturing our armoured vehicles,” says Patria’s Jussi Järvinen, Executive Vice President of Protected Mobility.
“The Letter of Intent with Patria on manufacturing and testing armored vehicles is a concrete demonstration of the progress of our strategy extending beyond the automotive industry. We are pleased that our expertise is in demand also in other industries that require high technological capabilities. This Letter of Intent is a major first step for us in contract manufacturing in the defense sector,” says Pasi Rannus, CEO of Valmet Automotive.
Technology transfer and local manufacturing are integral to Patria’s business model. Through the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme alone, Patria has already received orders for nearly 1,000 Patria 6×6 vehicles. While the CAVS programme utilises local industry via technology transfer to support security of supply, Patria currently manufactures vehicles in Finland and in Latvia and by local partners in Poland and Slovakia. Technology transfer is underway for German CAVS 6×6 and Japanese AMV XP 8×8 programmes.
30 Oct 25. Italy weighs using EU defense loan on new tanks, eying Hungary team-up. Italy is considering using a European Union loan deal to pay for new tanks and armored vehicles supplied by Germany’s Rheinmetall, a source has told Defense News. The money for Lynx vehicles and Panther tanks would come from cheap so-called SAFE loans organized by the EU to help member states beef up their military strength as Russia threatens the bloc’s Eastern border. Earlier this year EU officials said they would organize the low-cost loans worth €150 billion euros for members, then announced in September that Poland had been allocated €43.7bn in loans followed by Romania with €16.7bn, France and Hungary on €16.2bn and Italy with €14.9bn, among other recipients. States have until Nov. 30 to supply the EU with details on how they will spend the cash, before funds are released in 2026. Beneficiaries cannot carry out go-it-alone procurements with the loan cash. To encourage money saving and European military synergy, the EU has told member states to team up with at least one other EU recipient to make joint arms buys. The subject came up in Rome on Monday when Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban paid a visit to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“The two leaders discussed the opportunities offered by the European SAFE scheme, evaluating possible synergies between Italy and Hungary to support their respective industrial and technological capabilities,” Meloni’s office said after the meeting.
The two countries already have one procurement program, and one potential program in common. The first is the Lynx tracked armored vehicle developed by Rheinmetall, which Italy and Hungary are buying, assembling and adapting. The second is Rheinmetall’s new Panther main battle tank. Italy is set to purchase 272, while Hungary signed a deal with Rheinmetall in 2023 to team on development and production of the tank. An Italian defense source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Defense News that Italy’s purchases of the two platforms were candidates to be supported by SAFE loan cash.
Italy plans to buy 1,050 variants of the Lynx vehicle, adding a turret built by home supplier Leonardo, while Hungary signed in 2020 to purchase around 218, with all but the first 46 to be built in Hungary.
Those 46 have now been delivered.
Hungary’s decision to put in for €16.2bn in SAFE loans makes it one of the largest potential beneficiaries, but that combines with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s repeated criticism of the EU. On Monday, the same day he discussed the SAFE set-up with Italian prime minister Meloni, he also told reporters “The European Union counts for nothing.” (Source: Defense News)
30 Oct 25. GDELS to provide Germany and the United Kingdom with new M3 amphibious bridging capabilities. The German and British procurement agencies have signed a contract, valued over €450m, with the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) through which they jointly acquire the newest generation of M3 amphibious bridging and ferry capabilities from General Dynamics European Land Systems–Bridge Systems (GDELS) in Kaiserslautern. The bi-national “Wide Wet Gap Crossing Program” (WWGC) invigorates the long-standing collaboration between the two largest European NATO contributors, who received their last M3 vehicles after the end of the Cold War in 1999. The WWGC will ensure a performance enhancement including additional flexibility, enabling rapid deployment and flexible maneuverability across challenging terrain in both combat and disaster control scenarios. Foundation of the WWGC is the most modern and advanced version of the M3 (M3S – Sweden M3), which will include new features and functionalities, improved human-machine interface, enhanced reliability and system safety, as well as optimized through-live support costs. Furthermore, the new M3 fleets of Germany and the UK will not only be fully interoperable with other users’ M3 systems and with the SRB/FSB/IRB pontoon bridge family, but will be interchangeable, thus signifying a quantum leap in military mobility. The amphibious bridge and ferry system M3 is the fastest available means for wet gap crossing within NATO. It can be used as a floating bridge or ferry to carry even the heaviest main battle tanks to negotiate wide wet gaps. The all-terrain M3 is ready for use within minutes – a vital factor on today’s transparent battlefield. The system has proven itself in use under a wide range of climatic and topographical conditions, from tropics to arctic.
“The new M3 will provide Germany and the UK with much anticipated, state-of-the-art floating-bridge capabilities enabling unhindered maneuverability for all NATO vehicles. More than 90% of all NATO amphibious bridging capabilities are supplied by GDELS,” stated Dr. Thomas Kauffmann, Vice President and Chief Sales Officer of GDELS.
“We are proud to continuously deliver the M3 out of our Kaiserslautern sites, where we currently are substantially investing into additional production capabilities in line with GDELS’ German growth strategy 24/500,” said Dr. Christian Kauth, Vice President and Managing Director of GDELS Bridge Systems. 2
30 Oct 25. Allison Transmission, the world’s largest manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions for commercial and defence vehicles, has significantly expanded its global network of authorised service providers to support its cross-drive transmissions for defence applications. The latest addition to this network is Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne (WZM) in Poland, which is now an official channel partner for tracked vehicles.
“Poland’s key combat systems, including K9PL and Krab howitzers, Abrams tanks and Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles, depend on Allison transmissions,” said Elżbieta Wawrzynkiewicz, president of the management board of Wojskowe Zakłady Motoryzacyjne S.B. (WZM). “The agreement with Allison makes WZM an authorised channel partner, allowing maintenance and overhauls to be done in Poznań by Polish state-owned companies without sending equipment abroad, which is vital for our national defence.”
This strategic partnership with WZM complements existing service capabilities provided by other Allison Authorized Distributors such as Tezana for wheeled vehicles in Poland. Allison propulsion solutions power a wide range of wheeled and tracked defence vehicles—from logistics trucks to armoured combat platforms—and are actively deployed in more than 80 allied and partner nations worldwide. As a result of this growth, Allison now enables local commercial or government service providers to become Allison Authorized Channel partners. By focusing on local servicing and training, Allison reduces the need for transoceanic shipments, thereby decreasing costs and downtime for customers.
“We heard from vehicle OEMs and end users that access to nearby service, support and overhaul capability was important, so we adapted our approach accordingly,” said Dana Pittard, Vice President, Defense Programs, Allison Transmission. “This is one of the first times a defence transmission supplier has created service capability for cross-drive transmissions in coordination with end users, as opposed to requiring the return of transmissions to OEM factories. We’re able to facilitate this offering by leveraging our commercial vehicle service network of approximately 1,600 independent distributors and dealers. We’ve introduced this concept in countries around the world in the past two years, with more expansion planned.”
Allison Transmission continues to enhance its global support capabilities for defence customers through strategic partnerships with local service providers, further solidifying its commitment to improving the operational readiness of defence vehicles worldwide.
30 Oct 25. New Partnership Between Milrem Robotics and Poland’s Military University of Technology Strengthens Defence Robotics R&D. Milrem Robotics, the world’s leading robotics and autonomous systems developer, and Poland’s Military University of Technology (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna—WAT) have signed a cooperation agreement to accelerate joint scientific research, innovation, and education in defence robotics. The agreement was signed on October 29, 2025, by Brigadier General Prof. Przemysław Wachulak, PhD, DSc, Eng., the Commandant-Rector of the Military University of Technology, and Kuldar Väärsi, the Chief Executive Officer of Milrem Robotics. This partnership fosters research and development synergy: together, Milrem Robotics and WAT will co-design and implement projects under European and international programmes, drive joint scientific publications and conference participation, and combine technological development with academia to accelerate innovation.
“We are delighted to collaborate with WAT to enhance Europe’s defence capabilities. This partnership reflects Milrem Robotics’ dedication to Poland’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. As a global leader in advanced technology, this agreement signifies an exciting milestone in our journey to engage with Poland’s dynamic industrial and technological landscape. Together, we will utilise agility, creativity, and innovative solutions to foster progress, demonstrating that European collaboration is essential to maintaining a competitive edge in the future,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.
“At the Military University of Technology, we understand the importance of rapidly implementing research results and delivering new technologies: military, dual-use and civilian,” said Brigadier General Professor Przemysław Wachulak, Commandant-Rector of WAT. “WAT’s cooperation with Milrem Robotics is another important step toward advancing unmanned ground vehicle technologies for the military, as well as new educational opportunities for the young ranks of soldiers and engineers building our future security,” he added.
“This agreement allows us to bring academia and robotics engineering closer together to create real impact,” said Marcin Sobieraj, Country Manager of Milrem Robotics Poland.
The cooperation further provides for mutual technical and scientific consulting, exchange of knowledge and experience, and coordination of research and development efforts. Educational integration is central: Milrem experts will engage in WAT’s workshops, courses, and events; students will gain from study visits, internships, and apprenticeships.
Milrem Robotics and the Military University of Technology commit to ongoing collaboration in science, education, and defence systems development, pushing advancements in unmanned systems and enhancing European resilience.
Milrem Robotics is the world’s foremost developer of robotics and autonomous systems, with offices in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, the US, and the UAE. The company’s flagship, the THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), is part of robotic programmes or in service across 19 countries. Milrem is also recognised for the HAVOC Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) and the MIFIK — the autonomous functionalities kit. The company is also recognised for successfully completing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) project iMUGS, which focused on developing a modular and scalable architecture for hybrid manned‑unmanned systems. iMUGS2, the continuation of the first project, is currently in progress.
The Military University of Technology (WAT), established by an act of 1951, is a public university overseen by the Minister of National Defence. As an open technical university, it serves the Polish Armed Forces, science, the economy, and society by educating students, developing research and teaching staff, and conducting research and development in the exact, technical, and social sciences. The university’s educational offerings include single-cycle master’s degree programs for officer candidates and civilian students, first-cycle programs (engineering and bachelor’s degrees), second-cycle programs (master’s degrees), postgraduate programs, MBA programs, and courses and training. Education at WAT is carried out by eight academic faculties: Security, Logistics and Management, Cybernetics, Electronics, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Armament and Aeronautics, New Technologies and Chemistry, and the Institute of Optoelectronics. The university also operates a Doctoral School. The Military High School of Information Technology, named after Polish Cryptologists, conducts its educational activities at the Military University of Technology.
29 Oct 25. November 5th, Initial Operating Capability for the Ajax programme – a significant milestone in UK defence capability and industrial excellence. This occasion marks not only the delivery of a cutting-edge military platform but also the culmination of years of collaboration, innovation, and dedication across the defence and industrial sectors. The Ajax programme stands as a testament to the strength of our national supply chain and the enduring benefits it brings to South Wales and the wider UK industrial base.
27 Oct 25. LIG Nex1 unveils G-Sword unmanned ground vehicle. LIG Nex1 is developing a combat unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) armed with a remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) and the Raybolt anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). The company has described its new tracked G-Sword UGV – unveiled at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, which ended on 24 October – as a concept hybrid-electric vehicle fitted with a three-barrel Gatling gun. LIG Nex1 said the UGV has a weight of about 3 tonnes, a maximum onroad speed of 50 km/h, and a cruising range of about 300 km. Details about the UGV’s engine were not provided. The RCWS, developed by LIG Nex1, has an ammunition capacity of 400 rounds and a reported rate of fire of 1,200 rds/min. The system can fire high-explosive (HE), armour-piercing (AP), or target practice (TP) rounds. It has an engagement range of 2 km against anti-personnel targets and 1.2 km against aerial targets. The UGV was displayed at ADEX 2025 equipped with LIG Nex1’s Raybolt lock-on-before-launch, fire-and-forget ATGM. The vehicle was also displayed equipped with sensors that Janes assesses could be used for terrain scanning to help the UGV manoeuvre across challenging surfaces. It can be operated remotely via a control console, can navigate autonomously along pre-planned routes, or automatically track a designated vehicle or soldier. The company intends to offer the G-Sword equipped with modular payloads for ground-based integrated close-in air defence, coastal surveillance, reconnaissance, fire-support roles, and critical infrastructure surveillance. (Source: Janes)
22 Oct 25. Supacat and partners LPP s.r.o. signed a contract for 18 HMT EXTENDA vehicles for Czech Special Forces on Monday 20th October in Prague.
Hosted by the British Ambassador, Matt Field, and Defence Attaché, Col Jonny Kitson, Supacat and Czech partners LPP signed a contract to deliver 18 HMT EXTENDA vehicles, known as JACKAL 3 EXTENDA in UK service, for 601st Special Forces Group.
The HMT (High Mobility Transporter) EXTENDA is 6×6 variant of the 4×4 HMT JACKAL, which can be converted from 2-axle to 3-axle configuration to suit mission requirements by vehicle mechanics using just basic workshop tools. In service with at least eight other nations, from Norway to New Zealand and from Ukraine to the USA, the combat-proven Supacat HMT is a firm favourite with Special Forces and Special Operations Forces.
It is believed that in Czech service the EXTENDA will replace the Land Rover Defender KAJMAN Rapid Deployment Vehicle which has now exceeded its 15-year design life. (Source: joint-forces.com)
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TEK Military Seating Limited
TEK Military Seating Limited is a UK based designer and manufacturer of ProTEK military vehicle seating which offer the highest standards of safety and protection. The ProTEK brand is well respected across the globe for its robust construction, innovative design, built in modularity and cost effectiveness. Our superior products are supported by our experienced team who endeavor to offer unrivalled service to our customers from enquiry, through design and acceptance, to through life support.
From its inception ProTEK seats have been designed around a family of innovative seat frames onto which tested and certified modules can be fitted to create a bespoke solution for the user. These include Blast protection to Stanag 4569 standards, vibration reduction, head and body protection, seat risers and turntables, fore & aft adjustment, and seat back rake along with viable seat dimensions without the need for additional tooling costs.
Contact: Paul Fleming
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