BAE Systems has secured a contract for more than €12.5 million (US$15.7 million, ZAR131.2 million) to supply a further 25 RG32M mine-hardened armoured patrol vehicles to the Finnish Defence Forces. This contract follows Finland’s previous orders for 26 vehicles in 2010 and 23 vehicles last year.

“The RG32M, as part of the battle proven RG range of vehicles, provides a great balance between protection and mobility,” says Johan Steyn, managing director of Land Systems South Africa, where the work will be done. “Finland’s follow-on order demonstrates their confidence in BAE Systems’ solutions to help protect the men and women in uniform,” he added.

The RG32M is an all-purpose, mine-hardened vehicle with integrated ballistic protection for convoy support, infantry patrol and reconnaissance missions. The vehicle provides a cost effective solution with flexibility to meet a number of requirements and demands through reconfigurable mission-specific communication and weapon systems. Crew and vehicle survivability is enhanced through applied systems engineering techniques and by utilising BAE Systems’ unrivalled experience from vehicle operations in Africa and the Middle East, in addition to rigorous and systematic field-testing in South Africa, Sweden, the UK and the Middle East.

There are currently 200 RG32M vehicles in service with the Swedish Armed Forces as well as 27 light tactical versions in service with the Irish Defence Forces.

Deliveries will start in April next year and are expected to be completed in July.