CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle | The finest Swedish steel
The CV90 is currently one of the best tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicles. For many, it is the top. This vehicle offers excellent firepower, ballistic protection and mobility altogether.
The CV90 takes its name from the abbreviation of “Combat Vehicle 90”, but it is known in its own country as Stridsfordon 90, shortly Strf 90. It is one of the best tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicles today. And the CV90 do not intend to give up this title for a long time.
In the early 1980s, the Swedish Army had the Pbv 302s. Even though they had a 20mm gun, these vehicles were just armoured personnel carriers and not suitable for the role of infantry fighting vehicle.
So, in 1982, Sweden defined the requirements for a new tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle.
Initially, other existent foreign systems were evaluated. But, none of them could answer the requirements.
One year later, Stockholm assigned Hägglunds and Bofors to develop a new vehicle indigenously. These defence companies, which are now the parts of the BAE Systems, formed HB Utveckling as a joint venture for the job and finalized the design process in 1985. The company used the commercial off-the-shelf components as much as possible to reduce costs and save time.
Initially, the Swedish Army had evaluated the options for the 25mm, 40mm, and 57mm gun. But, when the prototype production phase began, the 57mm gun was abandoned. In 1986, Sweden ordered the prototypes for Strf 9040 with a 40mm gun and Strf 9025 with a 25mm gun.
HB Utveckling produced five vehicles, but before delivery in 1988, the second version was cancelled. After the extensive trials, the CV90 entered the Swedish Army service in 1994.
The first variant of the vehicle, defined as CV90 Mk 0 and produced for Sweden, had no gun stabilization and Lyran mortar. Its Swedish Army designation was the Strf 9040, and it could carry eight infantry.
The second batch of vehicles, called Strf 9040A, have extensive chassis modifications and gun stabilization. This variant can carry seven infantry. All Strf 9040s were upgraded to A standards later.
The Strf 9040B variant has been optimized for use with the Stridsvagn 122 main battle tank.
It is fitted with a new fire control software, an electric firing pin, a fully stabilized gun, and a gunner’s reserve sight with a video camera.
Also, its improved suspension provides better accuracy and crew comfort on the move.
The modified Strf 9040B1 variant can fire the 3P programmable ammunition. It has spall liners inside of the vehicle and climate control equipment.
The Strf 9040C is the upgraded version of the vehicle for international operations. Its ballistic protection is enhanced with AMAP armour modules. The C variant also has laser filtering in all periscopes and better air conditioning. These modifications increase the combat weight of the CV90, which causes the reduction of the amount of carried infantry to six and 40mm ammunition to 120. Unlike the previous variants, the secondary gun for the Strf 9040C is the Ksp 58 machine gun, not the Ksp 39.
The Strf 9040C + has a CAN bus and a new infrared camera.
The CV90 Mk I is the variant used by Norway. It has several improvements, including a more powerful Scania engine, a new two-person stabilized turret armed with the 30mm Bushmaster II chain gun, infantry headsets, and higher protection. Furthermore, it has a NATO standard NBC filter.
The vehicle is fitted with the UTAAS sighting system, effective for both air and ground targets while on the move.
Later, Norway also modernized its CV90s with improved C4ISR capability, enhanced mine protection, and rubber tracks.
Besides, they now have the Kongsberg’s Protector with 360 degrees day and night sights. This remote-controlled weapon station also gives the vehicle hunter-killer capability.
Finland and Switzerland use the CV90 Mk II fitted with the 30mm Bushmaster II chain gun.
The Swiss CV9030CH variant, also known as Schützenpanzer 2000, is 100 millimetres higher over the front part of the hull and an additional 200 millimetres over the combat compartment at the rear. It has a diagnostic system to assist in troubleshooting, which reduces repair time.
The rear fighting compartment of the Finnish CV9030FIN variant is even higher by additional 100 millimetres. They also have the MEXAS add-on composite armour.
Denmark and the Netherland use the CV90 Mk III, the most advanced variant currently in use. This variant has the 35mm Bushmaster III gun with the capability to fire programmable ammunition capability. It has higher protection against land mines and top attacks than the previous version. So, the CV90 Mk III is equipped with a more powerful suspension and engine to keep mobility high.
The Danish vehicles, also known as CV9035DK or Infanterikampkøretøj, had the MEXAS add-on armour kit. Later, Denmark acquired some TenCate add-on modules and L-ROD grill armours to equip its vehicles.
Forty-four surplus Dutch CV9035NLs were transferred to Estonia, whose vehicles are called CV9035EE.
In 2016, the Netherland decided to modernize its remaining vehicles with the Iron Fist active protection system, a mast-mounted 500 millimetres extendable electro-optical sensor, the MAG machine gun in an external pod, and a twin missile launcher for Spike LRII anti-tank guided missiles. Furthermore, they will be equipped with rubber tracks, upgraded cooling, various cyber-security improvements, and updated command and control infrastructure. Their ballistic protection is also increased with the RUAG-made roof and side protection kits.
Currently, BAE Systems is marketing the CV90 Mk IV variant, developed on feedback from the seven user nations. Its mobility, protection, and firepower are better than the previous models. This variant has a new 1,000 horsepower Scania engine and the latest upgraded X300 heavy-duty transmission. The CV90 Mk IV’s new augmented reality system, called iFighting, fuses data from different systems within the vehicle to filter through and prioritize the most critical information. Thus, the system allows the crew to make quicker decisions to improve overall performance on the battlefield.
The CV90 Mk II is offered to Czechia and the USA to replace the BMP-2s and M2 Bradleys.
The Swedish mortar carrier variant, called Granatkastarpansarbandvagn 90 or Grkpbv 90, features a basketless turret that provides more space inside the vehicle.
Its two 120mm PRAM-L mortars have a maximum range of 8,000 metres.
The Norwegian CV90 Multi BK mortar carrier has a single 81mm L16 mortar with a 5,650- metre range.
The Luftvärnskanonvagn 9040, shortly Lvkv 9040, used by Sweden, is the self-propelled anti-aircraft variant of the CV90 family. The vehicle has the TRS 2620 search radar, which can detect an air target within 14,000 metres range and identify it within 8,000 metres range. It can fire the 40mm 3P programmable ammunition.
Also, the forward command, forward observation, recovery, command and control, combat engineering, driver training, and reconnaissance variants are in use.
The Armadillo armoured personnel carrier, Störpansarbandvagn 90 electronic warfare vehicle, CV90105 and Strf 90120/CV90120-T light tanks, Stridsfordon 9040/56 armoured infantry fighting vehicle with the RB56 anti-tank missiles, and the mortar carrier with the AMOS turret are the non-serial variants.
Besides, the Polish PL-01 light tank is developed based on the CV90120-T.
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland are users of the CV90.
The three-person crew of the CV9040C consists of a commander, gunner and driver. The vehicle, which can also carry six infantry, has a length of 7 metres, a width of 3.42 metres, and a height of 2.75 metres. Its combat weight is 28 tons. The 540 horsepower Scania DS 14 diesel engine provides a road speed of 70 kilometres per hour. Its maximum range is 600 kilometres. The CV9040C can negotiate 1-metre vertical steps and 2.4-metre trenches. It can ford to a depth of 1.2 metres. Its armament consists of one 40mm Bofors L/70Bc gun and one 7.62mm Kps 58 machine gun, the licence-production variant of the MAG.
Sweden has chosen a 40mm Bofors L/70Bc because it can penetrate the side-armour of many modern main battle tanks.
It is also effective against helicopters.
The elevation/depression angle of the main gun of the early models of the Strf9040 is−8/+35 degrees, while for later models is −8/+27.
The 40mm Bofors L/70Bc with 2,000 metres effective range has two firing modes, the single-shot mode with 60 rounds per minute rate of fire and the automatic fire with 300 rounds per minute.
The Strf9040’s A and B variants carry 234 ammunition.
The rate of fire for the 30mm Bushmaster II is 250 rounds per minute with an effective range of 3,000 metres. The CV9030 variants carry 400 30mm rounds.
The 35mm Bushmaster III’s rate of fire is 200 rounds per minute. The CV9035s’ ammunition capacity for the main gun is 203.
The A and B variant Strf 9040s have the 7.62mm Ksp 39, the licence production variant of M1919A4.
These machine guns will be replaced by the Ksp 58s as on the C version.
The Finnish vehicle has the 7.62mm PKMT instead of the Kps 39.
Also, the Danish and Norwegian uses the MG3 and the Dutch the MAG.
The Swiss CV9030CHs have the 7.5mm MG 51.
The CV90’s hull provides all-around protection against 14.5mm armour-piercing rounds. But, the ballistic protection level of the frontal arc is still classified. It is estimated that it is resistant against the 30mm armour-piercing rounds. The vehicle has a low profile, compact size, minimal radar and infrared signature, low noise level and reduced vulnerability to electromagnetic pulses. These features increase battlefield survivability.
The Swedish variants have the GALIX soft-kill active protection system.
The CV90’s fuel tanks are outside the crew compartment and have been armoured against the internal and external risks to increase survivability.
Currently, all CV90s in use are fitted with a spall liner.
Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland use cameras to monitor the surroundings, which raises situational awareness.
The first use of the vehicle in a combat mission was by the Swedish UN forces in Liberia in 2004. Sweden deployed the Strf 9040C variant into this country.
Besides, Norway and Denmark deployed their CV90s in Afghanistan. They fiercely fought heavy combat in this country against the Taliban. In 2008, under heavy machine guns and RPG fire, the Norwegian vehicles managed to repulse the attacks without casualties. In 2010, a CV9030 hit a large IED, and a Norwegian soldier lost his life.
In April 2010, two Danish vehicles hit IEDs, but they successfully protected their crew from the attack. But, in another incident in August of the same year, the CV9035DK hit an IED, and two Danish soldiers lost their lives.
The key to the CV90’s success is its open-ended design. The vehicle can be easily configurated and improved depending on the customer’s demands. Also, it is easy to be upgraded. Since the beginning, the CV90’s ballistic protection has constantly been enhanced, variant by variant. But, to save the optimum power-to-weight ratio, the power pack and suspension have also been updated easily.
Except for the Netherland and Switzerland, all of its users are the Scandinavian or Baltic countries. Because this vehicle is specifically developed for the Nordic subarctic climate, the CV90 offers good mobility in the snow and wetlands of the region.
Sweden has been open to industrial cooperation. Nearly all CV90 users produced some subsystems of the vehicle including the turret under-licence. Also, they could choose the weapon systems and electronics that suit them. This approach has helped its market success.
This Swedish warrior has won almost all the tender it participated in, except in the UK.
The British Army chose the ASCOD 2-based Ajax over the CV90. But, many experts have expressed their reservations about this decision since the beginning. We should add that the Ajax is still struggling with many technical problems.
This article may lose some neutrality about the beloved Swedish systems. But, many experts are no different in regards to the CV90. It is nearly 30 years old, but it is still one of the most prominent Western tracked armoured vehicles.
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