On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Patria’s activities in Latvia and the first anniversary of Defence Partnership Latvia’s (DPL) armored vehicle production facility in Valmiera, Patria and GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas (GDELS) jointly announce the start of a strategic cooperation. Ascod infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) will be assembled and maintained at the DPL facility in Valmiera. The first units are due to be delivered in June 2026.
The Ascod infantry fighting vehicles are equipped with NATOstandard level 4 armor, automatic guns, anti-tank systems, machine guns and combat technology. This enables improved situational awareness and visualization for the deployed troops. Each vehicle is operated by a crew of three and can also transport and deploy six fully equipped soldiers in the area of operations.
“The assembly and maintenance of the Ascod armored personnel carriers is a significant step in the development of our industrial capabilities in the field of military vehicle manufacturing and maintenance in Latvia. Our experience in the production of 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles, combined with Patria’s technology transfer and know-how, underlines our expertise in the production, assembly and maintenance of complex military systems,” explains Uģis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board of Patria Latvia and Defence Partnership Latvia.
Alejandro Page Hernandez, Vice President of GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, adds: “We look forward to working with Patria, a proven partner in the field of complex defense solutions. The assembly and production of Ascod components in Latvia not only strengthens military supply chains and shortens response times, but also makes an important contribution to the development of the Latvian defense industry and the national economy.”
In this context, the Latvian Ministry of Latvian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with GDELS on 30 January 2025 for the delivery of 42 Ascod infantry fighting vehicles for the Latvian armed forces with a total value of 373 million euros.
The procurement process began at the start of 2023 with a comprehensive pre-selection of potential providers. Functional and comparative tests of various IFV platforms followed in fall 2023 to evaluate their operational capabilities. Based on these results, the armed forces carried out an evaluation that took into account criteria such as operational capability, costs, available equipment, involvement of local industry, delivery times and other key factors.
The first Ascod infantry fighting vehicles are expected to be ready for deployment in fall 2026.
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