Ukraine in talks with Sweden for acquisition and local production of renowned Infantry Vehicles CV90

The Defense Express Portal reports that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has held a meeting with the Swedish Defense Material Agency in tandem with the Ministry of Strategic and Industry Production. The core focus of these discussions revolved around financial terms and Ukraine's obligations pertaining to the acquisition of the first batch of Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) CV90, as well as the feasibility of licensed production within Ukraine.

This development follows the cooperative agreement on the acquisition and operation of tracked IFVs, signed on June 15, 2023, between Ukraine, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic - all parties having chosen the BWP CV90. Ukraine expressed an interest in acquiring up to 1,000 units of this vehicle, a request that would see the implementation of the order over several years.

The Ukrainians are planning to order the CV90 MkIV variant, the only one currently in production. This is the latest version of the Swedish infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) Stridsfordon 90/Strf 90, known as Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) for international sales, originally commissioned in the 1990s.

The design has proven successful, obtaining significant export success and serving in the armed forces of several countries, including Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Over 50 Strf 9040C vehicles from Sweden have also been delivered to Ukraine, marking them as one of the few vehicles there that can utilize highly lethal programmable ammunition.

The CV90 boasts a robust tracked design, with an additional armor package bringing its mass to 38 tons - a weight more in line with a T-72 tank. Despite that, the CV90 ensures the safety of a three-person crew, as well as up to eight transported infantry.

The base variant offers full protection up to level IV of the STANAG 4569 standard (anti-armor ammunition 14.5×114 mm) with the front capable of withstanding 30 mm caliber automatic cannon fire (level VI). The application of a ceramic armor package further enhances the safety quotient to level VI on the sides and even higher at the front.

The vehicle also has the potential to use Saab's active defense system LEDS-150, which can neutralize incoming anti-tank projectiles, similar to the Israeli Trophy. The vehicle's mobility is ensured by a 1,000 KM power diesel engine, allowing a top speed of around 43 mph.

A wide range of armaments are deployed in the vehicle. The base Swedish version is equipped with a 40 mm manned turret, which is effective against tanks. However, its dependency on exchangeable magazines limits the rate of fire and imposes additional workload on the crew.

Automatic cannons of 30 mm or 35 mm calibers are mounted in unmanned turrets, and they are fed by two-sided ammunition belts, which is a relatively recent and versatile solution. There are also specialized versions equipped with large caliber tank destroying guns or mortars.

The vehicle can be outfitted with various anti-tank means, like the Spike-LR or now integrated Akeron MP with a range of about 2.5-3 miles. These are "fire and forget" missiles, providing the vehicle a moment of exposure for launch before it hides. Further work is underway to allow firing at targets detected by drones.

While Ukraine's preferred configuration remains unknown, compared to the Soviet BMP1/2, the CV90 would be a significant upgrade, even possibly outperforming the formidable M2A2 Bradley ODS.