Sweden’s High-Tech CV-90 Fighting Vehicles Are in Ukraine – Here’s What They Can Do

Ukraine’s defense minister has confirmed that Kyiv has received Swedish-made Stridsfordon 90 (CV 90) infantry fighting vehicles, saying the “top machines for top soldiers” are “ready for battle.”

In a post on Twitter, Oleksii Reznikov thanked Sweden for the high-tech weapons systems, adding: "Our common colors are blue and yellow. Our common values are freedom and democracy. 

“Our common goals are victory and justice.”

There have long been rumours and reports that an ambitious and low-profile Swedish program was aiming to place one of the best-armed combat brigades in Europe in the hands of Ukraine’s generals.

In May it was said to be nearing completion and was expected to be a spearhead formation in Kyiv’s summer offensive once it gets underway at full steam.

Ukrainian soldiers operating Sweden’s flagship high tech weapons systems the Stridfordon 90 infantry combat vehicle and the Archer semi-automatic howitzer have been training in country in preparation for being part of the breakthrough force needed to pierce heavy Russian defensive lines.

Sweden has promised to give Ukraine 50 CV-90s, 8 Archer howitzers and 10 Leopard tanks, the monitoring site Oryx reported.

Kyiv is likely to augment the howitzers and tanks with comparable weapons from Germany and the US to build a combat brigade equipped with 100-120 first class combat vehicles, military analysts  said.

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SVT’s Bengt Norborg citing Swedish sources reported the formation could become “one of Ukraine’s most powerful offensive units.”

Produced by BAE Systems, Stridfordon 90 (Strf 90 or CV-90) is a fighting vehicle designed to carry infantry in assaults.

It is a highly-mobile, battle-tested weapon more heavily armored than and with firepower superior to not only competing Russian designs, but practically all NATO-standard armored personnel carriers.

It can be equipped with a variety of main armaments including a 40mm Bofors L/70 autocannon, Cockerill XC-8 105-120 mm turret or a 120 mm mortar.

Weighing up to 38 tonnes, it has a maximum speed of 43mph. 

Sweden’s Artiileriesystem 8 (Archer), is a cutting-edge tech, rapid-fire artillery piece capable of striking targets 50 km. distant, landing six munitions on a target simultaneously, and firing 8-10 shells a minute – about twice as fast as any other medium-caliber howitzer, in the world. 

It is not currently known if any of these are in Ukraine yet.

Sweden’s Artillery System 8 (Archer). Photo: Wikipedia

In May, Sweden’s major broadcaster SVT television said that a “brigade” of Ukrainian troops armed with CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles, Archer artillery pieces and the Swedish version of the Germany-produced Leopard 2 medium tank - Leopard 2A5 - will complete training “in May”.

Despite its historical neutral status Sweden was an early supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, initially sending hundreds Carl Gustav rockets - an anti-tank weapon popular across the Ukrainian infantry for its ease of use and effectiveness - and later dispatching 60 instructors to help train new Ukrainian army recruits, as a participating nation to the Operation Interflex program, in England.

A key Swedish training focus, the Ukrainska Pravda web magazine reported on May 11, is teaching Ukrainian soldiers the construction, emplacement, and assault of fortifications and obstacles.