BAE Systems has handed over the first CV9030 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) in serial production to the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (FLO) on time and on budget. A rollout ceremony was held in Moelv, Norway, at the facilities of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ business partner CHSnor AS. More than 200 guests attended, representing FLO and the Norwegian Armed Forces, as well as BAE Systems Hägglunds and its Norwegian industrial partners.
BAE Systems Hägglunds’ contract, signed in 2012, includes the upgrade of the Norwegian Army’s existing fleet of 103 CV9030s and 41 new-build vehicles, giving the Army a total of 144 state-of-the-art CV90s in varying configurations. They will all include enhanced capabilities for future battlefield and conflict scenarios, such as in the areas of protection, survivability, situational awareness, intelligence, and interoperability.
«I’m really pleased that we are able to reach this key milestone», said Colonel Ragnar Wennevik, Norwegian Army CV90 project leader. «BAE Systems Hägglunds is an impressive supplier, and with the new CV9030, we are buying the world’s most advanced armored combat vehicle family. Already proven in combat, we are now taking it to the next generation with state-of-the-art survivability, lethality, digitalization, and mobility».
This program is a key element of the modernization of the Norwegian Army, providing them with the next-generation CV90, one of the world’s most advanced IFV and a low-risk proven solution. The Norwegian Army will incorporate five different configurations of the CV90 from 2015 onwards: 74 infantry fighting, 21 reconnaissance, 15 command, 16 engineering, and 16 multi-role and tow driver-training vehicles. The multi-role vehicles can fulfill different functions, including mortar carrier and logistics roles.
In 2014, BAE Systems rolled out three variants of the Norwegian vehicles in Sweden, which were subsequently handed over to Norwegian industry for completion, as part of in-country partnerships.
Both the Norwegian customer and BAE Systems Hägglunds have been extremely focused on meeting every milestone in the contract from the outset. This focus has ensured that the two parties have developed a strong relationship based on mutual respect and openness, which has ensured project success.
BAE Systems Hägglunds is working closely with Norwegian industry in a comprehensive industrial cooperation contract, which is part of the main vehicle contract. Companies such as Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Nammo Raufoss AS, CHSnor AS, Moelv, and Ritek AS Levanger are key parties to the contract. The turret upgrade work, for example, takes place at CHSnor AS, and yesterday’s handover was the first in a series of vehicle deliveries from CHSnor AS and Ritek through 2018.
«The Norwegian industrial cooperation is extensive and important to us, especially when industrial cooperation is one of the major factors for international success», said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director for BAE Systems Hägglunds. «We want to thank all industry partners for their commitment and dedication, and also our professional and supportive customer».
CV9030 Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Protection
The CV9030 has the most advanced protection kits available in the world, providing flexible solutions for any mission requirements. The platform utilises a modular approach to armour. Its base structure is designed to carry any add-on armour without adding parasitic weight to the overall vehicle.
It provides crew protection from the latest heavy weaponry including:
- Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs);
- Anti-tank mines.
It also protects occupants from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats with a specialised filter system.
To meet modern day battlefield threats, the vehicle can be fitted with further protection including:
- Different types of armour to protect against diverse threats, such as shaped charge warheads and RPG-7s;
- A Defensive Aid Suite (DAS) that classifies targets, gives threat warnings via the Vehicle Information System (VIS) and supports the driver with speed corrections to reduce the risk of being hit;
- Adaptive camouflage, which offers an active multi-spectral defence system, rendering the vehicle appearance to match its environment.
The technology also takes on the textures of other objects, minimising the vehicle’s radar and IR signature and further increasing crew survivability.
Mobility
Powered by a high torque V8 diesel engine, the CV9030 can reach speeds of 70 km/h/43.5 mph. The vehicle’s road range is also constantly improving, with new variants capable of travelling up to 900 km/559 miles.
While upgrades to the CV90’s armour have seen the platform’s curb weight rise from 23 to 35 tonnes, power-to-weight ratio has remained approximately the same thanks to stronger diesel engines.
The CV90’s track suspension has also been improved. The new track system allows the vehicle to travel effortlessly through both snow and sand, enabling:
- Quieter movement and improved stealth;
- Greater speed over rough terrain;
- Higher ground clearance for protection against mines and improvised explosive devices.
The platform’s semi-active damping reduces the pitch accelerations of the vehicle by approximately 40 percent. For the crew this means:
- A smoother ride for reduced fatigue;
- Reduced vertical motion (increasing the gunner’s hit probability and ability to find targets);
- Higher all-terrain speeds;
- Increased life expectancy for components in the drive line.
Armament
As a first class combat vehicle, the CV9030 is compatible with a range of armaments to suit any mission requirements.
The vehicle is normally fitted with a two-man turret, which is equipped with the well-proven 30-mm Bushmaster II cannon. This can be supplied in different configurations, including unmanned and uses programmable ammunition to meet precise lethality performance needs.
The CV90 Mk-III incorporates a Munition Programmer for Air Burst Munition (ABM) and has a target-driven gunner Man Machine Interface (MMI). The Fire Control System also has the ability to choose:
- The type of ammunition;
- Offset;
- Fuse setting;
- Burst pattern.
This significantly decreases operator workload allowing the gunner to focus on the type of target that he wants to engage.
The vehicle’s hunter-killer function features an independent sight system for the commander, enabling him to search, engage or hand over targets to the gunner. The CV90’s state-of-the-art systems allow the crew to rapidly discover and identify targets in minimal time. This enables them to be the first to shoot, whether the target is on the ground or in the air.
Specifications
Top speed: 70 km/h/43.5 mph
Range: 900 km/559 miles
Payload: 16 tonnes
Protection level: Standardization Agreement (STANAG)
Ballistic: > 5
Mine: > 4a/4b
Trench crossing: 2.6 m/8.5 feet
Step climbing: 1.1 m/3.6 feet
Fording: 1.5 m/4.9 feet
Remote Weapon Station (RWS): 7.62 – 40 mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL)
Turret: 25-120 mm/0.98-4.72 inch
No. of operators: 3 + 7
Gradient: 60 %
Power to weight ratio: 17.1-24.2 kW/ton
Electrical power: 570 A
Engine: Scania V8
Operating temperature: C2-A1
Driveline
Steel or rubber tracks: ≤ 28 tonnes
Steel: > 28 tonnes
Semi active dampening
BAE Systems designed the CV9030 with a clear vision: to create a vehicle that provides high tactical and strategic mobility, air defense, anti-tank capability, high survivability and protection in any terrain or tactical environment