A new Western
platform has entered the war in Ukraine.
Swedish-manufactured CV-90 fighting vehicles from Ukraine have reached the front lines,
reportedly in the vicinity of Bakhmut within the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
Viewers may note that in January, Sweden pledged 50 CV-90s to Ukraine.
The CV-90 is the third tracked fighting vehicle Ukraine has received from its foreign allies,
the country is getting more than 150 M-2s from the United States as well as 60 Marders from Germany.
In this video Defense Updates, how Swedish CV-90 fighting vehicles could help Ukraine?
Let's get into the details.
CV-90 or Combat Vehicle 90 or Stridsfordon 90,
was developed in Sweden in the mid-1980s to meet operational requirements of the Swedish army.
This Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) was co-developed by Bofors and Hagglunds.
Bofors was responsible for the development of the turret, armament and final assembly,
while the Hagglunds provided chassis and armored hull.
CV-90 is being offered since the early 1990s and the basic design is nearly 30 years old.
Over the years, CV-90 has been upgraded - armor,
weapons, fire control and electronic systems have all seen changes.
It weighs in at about 38 tons, has a Length of 6.8 m (22 ft),
a Width of 3.2 m (10 ft) and a Height of 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
The CV-90 carries eight troops plus three crew members.
Troops enter and leave the vehicle threw the rear doors and roof hatches.
The CV-90 is powered by DC16 16 litres diesel V8 engine developed by Scania, which can provide a
maximum of 1000 hp enabling the vehicle to reach speeds of 70 km or 43 mi per hour.
The basic CV-90 has a maximum road range of 320 km or 200 mi,
but the latest generation can reach up to 600 km or 370 mi.
The CV-90 has a welded steel armor hull. It is claimed that the front arc of the
CV-90 withstands hits from 30 mm armor-piercing rounds used by the older Russian IFVs and ACVs.
All-round protection is against 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds. The latest versions
of the CV-90 withstand mine blasts equivalent to 10 kg or 22 lbs of TNT.
Appliqué ceramic armor can be added to later production models for all-around
protection against 30 mm armor-piercing rounds and improved protection against blasts and improvised
explosive devices. A slat armor can be fitted for protection against tandem-charge RPG rounds.
The interior of the CV-90 is lined with Kevlar liner to prevent spalling.
The vehicle is also fitted with an NBC protection system.
There are no firing ports provided for the crew in an attempt to increase armored protection.
This IFV was specially designed to minimize radar and infrared signatures.
It also uses heat-absorbing filters to provide protection against thermal imaging, image
intensifiers and infrared cameras. The vehicle has quiet movement in order to improve stealth.
The main armament of the CV-90 IFV is a Bofors 40 mm cannon, which is a modified
anti-aircraft gun developed in the early 1950s. This gun proved to be a very successful design.
Even now, it can easily defeat pretty much all armored personnel carriers and infantry
fighting vehicles. It also poses a threat to older tanks such as the T-55 and T-62.
This 40 mm cannon is fed from 24-round capacity box magazines.
Magazines are reloaded manually within 20 seconds.
The important part is that the gun can fire around 300 shells
per minute with a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s.
These shells are around 0.96 kg (2.1 lb). It can cut through trees in dense forests.
This gun makes the CV-90 very potent when in a close fight in wooded terrain.
The secondary armament is the 7.62 mm Ksp m/39 machine gun.
The CV90 enjoys significant popularity in northern Europe, and its appeal
becomes evident upon closer examination. The vehicle's design is specifically tailored for
efficient performance in the forested regions of Scandinavia. Interestingly,
eastern Ukraine is also characterized by abundant tree cover, including commercial plantations.
An outstanding feature of the CV90 is its exceptional operational capacity in extremely
cold weather conditions. This quality positions it as an ideal asset for Ukraine's defense forces,
given the prevalence of harsh winters in the region. Moreover, the CV90's adaptability to
navigate through demanding terrains such as snow-covered landscapes, marshes,
and swamps adds to its versatility on the contemporary battlefield.
It is not hard to understand that tCV90 will significantly
boost Ukrainian firepower in the Bakhmut sector.
With the deployment of the CV90, Ukrainian forces could potentially overcome Russian
fortifications in the area and capitalize on any successful breakthroughs that they achieve.