The Czech Republic has successfully completed negotiations with the government of Sweden, the Swedish defense procurement organization FMV, and BAE Systems Hägglunds to buy 246 CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles in seven different variants.

The contract is valued at SEK 22 billion ($2.2 billion). The agreement provides highly-capable vehicles for Czech soldiers while providing Czech industry a significant role in the program.

«As the ninth member of the CV90 User Group, the Czech Republic and its Army will benefit from this combat-proven infantry fighting vehicle with a leading combination of mobility, firepower, protection, and future growth potential», said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hägglunds, in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. «This contract also represents a significant win for Czech industry that will last for decades».

The CV90s will be developed and delivered through an industrial partnership with Czech industry to meet the requirements of the Czech Ministry of Defence and the intention of maintaining national sovereignty for the Czech Republic. The Czech industrial partners will be delivering 40% of the acquisition’s value in development, production and assembly contracts, not including VAT.

The program also offers future industrial opportunities that represent significant monetary value well beyond the flow down of contracts to Czech industrial partners. The contract will bolster the local defence sector, granting access to BAE Systems’ global supply chain, expanding opportunities for cooperation, and enhancing local competitiveness.

The CV90 MkIV, the latest generation of the leading infantry fighting vehicle, is an ideal, battle-proven vehicle. CV90 has been deployed around the world in coalition operations under both NATO and UN mandates. The vehicle offers superior tactical and strategic capabilities to target a wide range of ground and airborne targets, and exceptional resilience in any terrain and tactical environment.

BAE Systems Hägglunds has produced more than 1,400 CV90s in 17 variants for European countries, five of which are NATO members. Slovakia recently selected the CV90 for its armed forces, joining the Czech Republic as the eighth and ninth member countries, respectively, of the CV90 User Group.

On 24 January 2018, at the International Armoured Vehicles Conference in London, BAE Systems presented the next phase of development for the CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) with the launch of the new CV90 MkIV.

This fifth generation of the company’s combat-proven IFV family represents the next step for the CV90 concept.

The new MkIV offers substantial capability upgrades, including increased drive train capabilities and active damping technology to improve battlefield speeds and handling. The new vehicle also features the latest NATO-standard Electronic Architecture to meet customer demands for sensor integration and the implementation of autonomous systems.

The new CV90 MkIV D-series of turrets which feature a modular design offering 30/40-, 35/50 and 120-mm main guns and weapon pods for integrated Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and machine guns. The turrets are designed to support a more extensive sensor suite integration and utilize BAE Systems’ revolutionary new iFighting concept. The MkIV generation will also be the first Western IFV with a qualified Active Protection System.

BAE Systems intends to offer the CV90 MkIV to the Czech Republic in the ongoing armoured vehicle competition to replace the Czech Army´s legacy fleet of BMP-II IFVs.

«We are proud and excited to present the next step in the development of CV90», said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, vice president and general manager for BAE Systems’ Hägglunds business. «The MkIV will now be available to both current and future users of the CV90, who can take full advantage of this combat-proven vehicle’s ongoing development and benefit from these new capabilities. This approach provides the leading combination of a proven low-risk solution for the most modern IFV for future growth».

The CV90 IFV is a modern, adaptable, and combat-proven vehicle with 1,280 vehicles in 15 variants sold to seven nations, including four NATO allies. The most recent generation of the CV90, under delivery for the Norwegian Army, is one of the most modern IFVs in production in the world.

The CV90 MkIV includes a new Scania engine with up to 1,000 horsepower/745.7 kW and the latest upgraded X300 heavy-duty transmission. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is increased from 35 tonnes to 37 tonnes, meaning users will benefit from two tonnes of extra payload without a decrease in vehicle agility, with the same level of protection. This gives any users an unrivalled amount of potential for future growth.

The MkIV capability upgrades also enable the full implementation of BAE Systems’ iFighting concept. iFighting – or intelligent fighting – is the company’s vision for the future complex battlefield. iFighting supports the vehicle’s crew with significantly enhanced situational awareness, aiding the decision-making process. This safeguards the vigilance and the endurance of the crew, while ensuring peak performance for the whole system. iFighting achieves improved ergonomics, more advanced autonomous support, augmented reality, and the possibility of remote operation.

The CV90 is currently in use in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.