Sweden and Denmark green light 25 stealthy combat vehicles for Ukraine worth $263m
Support for Ukraine has been announced at a sum of 1.8 billion Danish kroner, equivalent to $263 million. Considering that a single CV90 costs around $10 million, Sweden and Denmark could collectively transfer about 25 combat vehicles. However, it's crucial to note that these are not official figures from the governments, but estimates made by a profile monitoring the course of the war in Ukraine.
2:59 PM EST, December 20, 2023
Armored beasts from Sweden
The CV90 vehicles (specifically the CV9040C variant) arrived in Ukraine a few months ago. The first batch of approximately 50 units was spotted in June, with more becoming visible in November. Most recent photographs affirm that Kyiv received vehicles equipped with Barracuda MCS camouflage, designed to reduce the heat signature of the machine, rendering the CV90 almost invisible to enemy sensors.
Please note the CV90 is a piece of equipment that commenced production in the 90s. Its fundamental version boasts a crew tower with a 40mm Bofors cannon. Some models have a 30 or 35-mm automatic Bushmaster cannon. The Swedes have also tried to enhance the safety of the vehicle and its crew by using Galix smoke grenade launchers.
The power unit of the CV90 is a 407 kW engine manufactured by Swedish Scania. This propels the combat vehicle to a maximum speed of 43 miles/h. A full tank of fuel enables the CV90 to traverse as much as 559 miles.
It's significant to note that the comparison of the Swedish vehicle to the American IFV Bradley M2 is justified. The comparison emerges not only due to the impressive firepower (for a combat vehicle) but also due to its solid armor. The CV90 can resist 20mm bullet fire, and to increase the survivability of the vehicle, the maker has implemented MEXAS ceramic-kevlar armor over the hull and turret. This protection can resist 30mm sub-caliber bullets and mines weighing up to 22 lbs. The CV90's commendable maneuverability in challenging terrains is often considered an advantage.
