BAE Systems has signed a contract with Sweden to provide the armed forces with new CV9035 Mk IIIC infantry fighting vehicles.
The new platforms will replace the CV9040 vehicles donated to Ukraine last year.
The CV9035 will be fitted with a new turret system that is reportedly “a leap forward in design and functionality” in addition to significant ergonomic improvements benefiting the vehicle’s crew.
“These new CV9035 MkIIICs will extend the capabilities of both the Swedish and Ukrainian armies and provide crews improved combat awareness, increased mobility, protection, and lethality,” BAE Systems Hägglunds Managing Director Tommy Gustafsson-Rask said.
The contract also allows other nations to join in the procurement of CV90 Mk IIICs.
The CV90 in Ukraine
Sweden has helped Ukraine combat Russian forces in the ongoing war by donating more than 50 CV9040C armored combat vehicles and training its troops in how to use the vehicles.
The mechanized infantry companies were trained at secret locations around the country, varying in size from a few dozen to hundreds of soldiers.
One of the CV90‘s prime features is its ability to target hovering helicopters from 4 kilometers (3.1 miles) away.
It can also withstand a subarctic climate, preserving its mobility in snow and wetlands at a maximum speed of 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour.
Sweden’s CV90 donation is part of a 17-billion-kronor ($1.6 billion) budget allocated for Ukraine military aid.