Melbourne: Japan has selected Finland’s Patria AMV as its next wheeled armoured personnel carrier following a two-stage evaluation process to replace its fleet of Type 96 eight-wheel drive armoured vehicles.

Japan’s Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics Agency announced  that the AMV was selected over the Mitsubishi Armoured Vehicle. The country’s evaluation process considered cost, performance, logistics and the production base for each vehicle.

The agency said that while both vehicles scored similarly in logistics support and in-country production capabilities, the AMV scored better against its opponent in terms of cost and overall performance.

Japan had shortlisted Patria, local company Mitsubishi and American contractor General Dynamics Land Systems in 2019 as contenders for its Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier competition. GDLS offered the LAV 6.0 platform.

All three contenders were to have delivered prototype vehicles to Japan for evaluation by March 30, 2022, although the agency’s announcement stated that GDLS did not do so.

Patria said in a news release announcing its selection that it will manufacture the AMVs for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force in the country under license. Janne Räkköläinen, a senior vice president at Patria, noted in the release that Japan will be the ninth user of the AMV family and that the company has “experience of licensing and cooperation with local industries in many countries.”

Japan’s Defence Ministry had sought to acquire 29 vehicles through this program in its fiscal 2023 budget request, released in late August, with the expectation all vehicles would be delivered in three years.

Mitsubishi has also been contracted to develop a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, mortar carrier and reconnaissance vehicle based on the Type 16 manoeuvre combat vehicle, with prototypes of the two former vehicle types seen in Japan undergoing tests in October.