Slovakia considers unconventional upgrade to military arsenal
Slovakia, which currently has a limited number of tanks, is considering abandoning its plans to purchase new Leopard 2A8s. In pursuit of savings, Slovakia may instead opt for CV90120-T fire support vehicles. This decision is particularly intriguing because no NATO country has used this equipment.
The doubts of the Slovak Ministry of Defense were highlighted by the portal Denník N. Robert Kaliňák, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Slovakia, stated that there are currently no funds in the country’s budget to acquire a more significant number of modern tanks. Nonetheless, the need to bolster the Slovak army with heavy equipment remains apparent. The potential compromise could be the CV90120-T.
Will Slovakia buy CV90120-T? It would be an exception in NATO
Currently, the Slovak army possesses 30 Soviet-era T-72M1 tanks and 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks, which Germany is providing in compensation for Slovak equipment transferred to Ukraine. It was initially planned that these would eventually be replaced by 104 modern Leopard 2A8 tanks equipped with the EuroTrophy active protection system. Ultimately, such a procurement will not be feasible due to the limited financial resources available to the Slovak Ministry of Defense.
Slovakia has chosen a very unusual path in search of alternative solutions. At present, the leading contender for a place in the Slovak armored forces is the CV90120-T, a fire support vehicle developed by BAE Systems. The cost per unit would be approximately $12 million. However, since the CV90120-T is not used by any NATO country, it raises potential concerns regarding the interoperability of the armies of the alliance's member states.
CV90120-T on the chassis of a well-known infantry fighting vehicle
This fire support vehicle (light tank) has been in service since 1998, though the current order would include acquiring upgraded, newer variants, the CV90120-T.
The CV90120-T is based on the chassis of the well-known CV-90 infantry fighting vehicle. It is distinguished by its 120 mm smoothbore gun, with a barrel length of 50 calibers. While its firepower is comparable to heavy tanks, the CV90120-T offers less protection, as it is more lightly armored.
From Slovakia's perspective, purchasing the CV90120-T may prove advantageous financially and as an investment in equipment that complements the previously ordered CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles—152 units of the CV-90 MkIV with a 35 mm cannon.
