Dutch XA-188 Pasi Wheeled APCs for Estonia
Tor Ghar, Afghanistan
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Before Patria Oyj introduced the popular AMV 8×8 wheeled APC, Finland’s XA-180 Pasi family of wheeled APCs was sold to a number of Nordic countries, as well as the UN and to several countries with UN peacekeeping missions. In 2004, Estonia bought 60 of Finland’s XA-180s, and had them refurbished and modified to XA-180EST configuration. Some of those wheeled APCs went on to serve with Estonia’s contingent in Afghanistan.
The Netherlands is modernizing its wheeled APC fleet with the Boxer MRAV, whose deliveries have been delayed. Even so, budget issues are leading the Dutch to sell some of their XA-188 APCs before the Boxers arrive. Estonia will buy 81 of the Dutch vehicles, under a EEK 320 million (kroons, about $28.7 million equivalent) contract. It will be paid out as the APCs are delivered to Estonia’s 1st brigade between 2011-2015. Estonian Kaitseministerium [in Estonian] | Mil-Tech.
