XA-180 (EST) - History

History

Finland sold 60 APCs. 4 of them are medevac, 2 command and control and 3 communications vehicles .

XA-180EST is the Estonian model of XA-180. A total of 60 were purchased from Finland. There are 58 of them in service, two having been lost in Afghanistan. Altogether there were 51 APC units, two command and control units, three repair units and four medievac units. In 2005 there were delivered 30 APC configured units and four medievac units. The medievac units were equipped with air conditioning and floor heaters. The XA-180ESTs were equipped with Harris radios and 12,7 mm Browning machine guns. The XA-180ESTs had been manufactured in Finland in 1987-1989 and had between 10 000 km to 30 000 km. The engine will last about 120 000 km to 130 000 km before overhaul. Ten out of the sixty vehicles have taken part in peace-keeping operations and the others have been mainly stored or used in military training.

Estonia wanted to buy 30 more XAs from Finland in 2008, but as a part of agreement, Finland wanted them not to be used outside the territory of Estonia, i.e. in international operations. Therefore Estonia purchased 81 units of XA-188 (similar to XA-180 but more heavily armored) from the Netherlands. It was one of the largest foreign military equipment purchases made by the Estonian army.