Czech Republic starts negotiations with Sweden to purchase CV90 tracked armored IFVs.

According to a statement published by the Czech Ministry of Defense on July 20, 2022, the Czech government has agreed to start negotiations with the Swedish government for the purchase of CV90 tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles).
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BAE Systems CV90 Mk IV tracked armored IFV at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in June 2022. (Picture source Army Recognition)

In 2016, the Czech Republic launched a tender to replace its fleet of Soviet-made tracked armored Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), but in November 2021, the Czech Ministry of Defense announced the suspension of the process of acquiring 210 tracked due to budgetary restrictions.

Now, the Czech Republic took the decision to negotiate directly with the Swedish government for the purchase of the CV90 and coordinate the acquisition with Slovakia which has already selected the CV90 Mk IV to replace its fleet of BVP-1 and BVP-2 local-made production of Soviet BMP-1 and BMP-2 tracked IFVs.

Slovakia signed a government-to-government deal to purchase 152 CV90 MkIV tracked IFVs manufactured by the company BAE Systems. The CV90 is the latest generation of IFV in the CV90 family. Slovakia has selected the CV90 armed with one 35mm cannon.

According to Major General Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, the Czech army needs a new tracked armored IFV that meets NATO standards and which could be the backbone of the new armored brigade of the Czech army.

Currently, the Czech army has a total of 247 IFVs including 120 BVP-2, a Soviet-made BMP-2 produced under license in the Czech Republic, 127 Pandur II wheeled armored vehicles and 98 BVP-1 (BMP-1 produced under license in the Czech Republic), and 65 BVP-2 all in store.

The CV90 Mk IV is a fifth-generation combat-proven Infantry Fighting Vehicle based on the CV90 family of Swedish-made tracked armored combat vehicles designed by Sweden's Defense Materiel Administration (Försvarets Materielverk, FMV), Hägglunds which is now part of BAE Systems and Bofors during the mid-1980s and early 1990s and entered service in Sweden in the mid-90s. It was unveiled by BAE Systems during the International Armored Vehicles conference and Exhibition in September 2017.

The CV90 Mk IV is a fifth-generation combat-proven Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) that combines improved battlefield speeds and handling with an upgraded Electronic Architecture to support future growth capabilities.

The CV90 Mk IV can be fitted with a two-man turret or an unmanned weapon station. The vehicle is fitted with the D series modular turret which can be armed with different types of armament, from 30/40-mm and 35/50-mm automatic cannons up to 120-mm smooth-bore tank cannon.

The CV90 basic armor provides all-around protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds. Armor protection over the frontal arc is classified, but all models from CV90 and later are said to be protected against 30 mm APFSDS (Armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot) ammunition. To increase protection the CV90 Mk IV can be equipped with APS (Active Protection System).

With a new engine, the CV 90 Mk IV boasts up to 1,000 horsepower and the latest upgraded X300 heavy-duty transmission. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is increased from 35 to 37 tones, offering users two tones of extra payload without a decrease in vehicle agility.