Swedish weapons boost Ukraine's defense with cutting-edge tech
12:31 PM EDT, August 22, 2024
The Swedes have admitted that the weapons they supplied to Ukraine were not subject to any use restrictions. This is a rare practice compared to many other countries. Here's what Sweden has donated to Ukraine.
During one of his business trips, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billström briefly commented to DW News on the issue of Ukrainians using Swedish weapons. "We have not imposed any use restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine, and we do not intend to do so now. Ukraine has already made good use of the weapons received."
The best infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, and the fastest artillery in the world - these are Sweden's gifts
Sweden has donated various weapons to Ukraine, including older models like the armored personnel carrier PBV 302 and modern tanks like the Stridsvagn 122, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) Strf 9040C / CV90, and H77BW Archer howitzers.
The Stridsvagn 122 tank is a special version of the Leopard 2 tank, an intermediary between versions A5 and A6, which was additionally modified to meet the demands of the Swedes. Among other adjustments, they enhanced its resistance to side attacks and reinforced the roof for better protection against anti-tank bomblets from cluster munitions. As a result, it is the most heavily armored variant of the Leopard 2 tank that has been sent to Ukraine.
The Strf 9040C / CV90 is the latest modernization of the CV90, a 42-ton (with an additional armor package) tracked IFV designed in the 1990s.
It is a very heavily armored vehicle capable of withstanding 30 mm caliber gunfire and hits from handheld anti-tank weapons like PG-7VL grenades or similar munitions, often used on FPV drones. This provides the three-person crew and seven transported soldiers with a very high level of protection compared to post-Soviet designs.
Moreover, in its Swedish configuration, the Strf 9040C / CV90 is the most heavily armed IFV in NATO, as its main armament is a 40 mm automatic cannon. Although magazine-fed, it has excellent performance with the right ammunition.
For example, subcaliber armor-piercing ammunition can penetrate over 6 inches of armor steel, defeating the side armor of T-72 tanks from several hundred yards away. Such a feat is impossible for IFVs equipped with smaller caliber cannons.
The larger caliber also allows for programmable rounds with a greater load of tungsten balls. For example, a 3P round from BAE Systems contains 1,100 tungsten balls, and upon explosion, the shell's casing creates 2,500 fragments capable of easily penetrating helmets or soft body armor. Moreover, the round can be detonated in one of seven modes.
The latest Swedish novelty delivered to Ukraine is the H77BW Archer howitzers, which can stop, fire a three-shot salvo, and move out in just 75 seconds. Furthermore, it is a highly automated system that just three or four soldiers can operate in an armored cabin.
The range of this howitzer, with a 6-inch caliber gun and a 20.5-foot barrel, depends on the ammunition used. For basic shells like DM121 or OFd MKM, it reaches about 19 miles. For shells with a base bleed, the range increases to 25 miles, and for rocket-assisted shells like M549A1 or guided M982 Excalibur, it is around 37 miles. Of course, the Swedish howitzer can also perform Multiple Rounds of Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) firing, where all the fired shells hit the target at the same time.
