Patria test-fires ARVE SPH

Patria test-fired its ARVE SPH for the first time in June. (Patria)

Patria announced in a press release on 26 June that it had test-fired its Artillery on Vehicle (ARVE) self-propelled howitzer (SPH) earlier in the month. Sirje Ahvenlampi-Hyvönen, Patria's vice-president for Group Communications, told Janes on 1 July that it was the first test firing of the system and “turned out to be very reliable [and] has so far fulfilled all [of] Patria's expectations and requirements”.

ARVE was unveiled at an international Arctic event organised by Patria in Rovaniemi, Lapland, on 18–19 March. Designed to operate in Arctic conditions, the SPH is based on Patria's 155 K 98 155 mm/52-calibre towed howitzer operated by the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF), and the demonstration vehicle is integrated into the chassis of a Sisu 8×8 E16TP all-terrain truck.

The system is entirely domestically produced and is designed to be modular and fully compatible with the FDF's current artillery fleet in terms of maintenance, spare parts, and ammunition, as well as with NATO standard artillery ammunition and fire control. Its fire-control system consists of a weapon terminal with ballistic calculation.

The test firings in June involved dozens of shots at different elevations and side angles as well as in direct fire mode. Patria said the system performed as expected throughout the firings, including with the most powerful overpressure charge. According to the Finnish company, ARVE has an elevation angle of -3° to +60°, azimuth angle at elevation of -90° to +50°, and -60° to -90° in direct fire mode.