February 9, 2016: The UAE (United Arab Emirates) has, nine years after buying 15 Finnish wheeled AMV (Armored Modular Vehicle) for evaluation, ordered a lot more. This is odd because since 2007 the UAE got involved in manufacturing their own weapons and armored vehicles. It is believed the AMV purchase and UAE manufacturing plans are somehow linked. The details of this latest AMV sale were kept secret but the UAE may be doing what Poland did in 2002 by making a deal to build and sell versions of the AMV under license.

Patria, based in Finland, came up with the AMV concept in the late 1990s and by 2001 were out looking for buyers. So far nearly 2,000 AMVs have been sold and Poland has accounted for half of them. AMV is available as 8x8 or 6x6 wheeled vehicles weighing 16-26 tons. The weight varies depending on configuration (like armor, weapons, or engine). In particular, the vehicle is built to accept several degrees of armor enhancements. A basic AMV infantry version has a 30mm Bushmaster II autocannon in a turret, along with a 7.62mm machine-gun. This version has a crew of three and carries 8-12 passengers.

There dozens of variations but the most common uses are infantry carriers. After that there many modified to be ambulances and command vehicles. There was even a surveillance model equipped with an Israeli surveillance package. This included a radar, thermal sensor, motion sensor, and a small UAV. One of these vehicles can move to some high ground and detect activity over a wide area (out to ten kilometers, night or day, and in any weather).

The vehicles for the recent UAE purchase will be produced in Poland, which currently has the largest production facilities for AMV vehicles.