**WARSAW, Poland** — Slovenia’s government is delaying the purchase of approximately 100 AMV XP vehicles from Finnish manufacturer Patria during its current term. This postponement marks a significant development in Slovenia’s ongoing saga regarding the acquisition of armored vehicles.
Despite signing a letter of intent with Finland in February 2023, the Cabinet will not authorize the procurement of the new eight-wheel-drive vehicles before the next parliamentary election, which is anticipated to take place in March 2026.
Last year, the Slovenian government selected the AMV XP after canceling a prior contract established by the previous Cabinet in 2022 to procure 45 Boxer vehicles from the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), a multinational military-procurement agency. The acquisition of the Finnish vehicles was intended to enhance the capabilities of Slovenia’s medium battalion battle group and medium combat reconnaissance battalion.
Various unofficial reports from Slovenian media suggest potential reasons for the AMV XP purchase delay. These reasons, provided by unnamed government officials, include the Cabinet’s demand for improved force protection, including anti-drone capabilities, and a desire to incorporate domestic industry in turret production.
However, some local observers argue that the real reason for the delay stems from the potential purchase being the largest military procurement in Slovenia’s history, estimated at €695 million (approximately $811 million), which could be unpopular among certain voter segments.
Matej Tonin, a member of the European Parliament for the opposition New Slovenia party and the former defense minister who signed the Boxer deal, has criticized the government for the delay. He noted that planning projections from the canceled Boxer deal would have allowed the army to be equipped with 35 out of the 45 vehicles by now.
In his remarks, Tonin stated, “Instead, we have lost three to four years, and every year acquisitions of military equipment become more and more expensive.” He added that the demand for military assets has dramatically increased over the past three years, compounded by high inflation. His advice to the government was to build on existing initiatives rather than starting anew.
A spokesperson for Slovenia’s Ministry of Defense stated to Defense News that the process for purchasing the Patria vehicles “is ongoing and has not been halted,” but noted that technical enhancements will require more time. The spokesperson explained that adaptations, such as integration of modern modular capabilities for anti-drone protection in response to evolving military conflicts and doctrines, will make the vehicles more usable in the long run.
*Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.*
