CASR

Canadian
American
Strategic
Review

Armoured Vehicles  –  Sweden's  CV9040C IFV  –  DND  Procurement  –  July  2009 Let's  Close  in  on  'Combat  Vehicles'  (CV90s) –  Something Similar  to the  Lease / Purchase  of  the  CF  Leopard  Tanks Patrolling Afghanistan,  both  Mobility  and Survivability  of  Land  Vehicles  are Crucial Apparently, there are some within DND  (and  the Canadian Forces) who would like to see a Close Combat Vehicle (CCV)  sent  to Afghanistan  sooner  rather than later.  They  propose using a  ' two-step ' process  to lease,  then purchase,  the  Swedish CV90  Infantry  Fighting Vehicle. This acquisition would look similar to the Leopard 2 deal that DND negotiated with Germany and  the Netherlands in order to make tanks available to our troops in Afghanistan as quickly as possible. In that deal, DND first leased well-protected German Leopard  2A6M tanks, then bought larger numbers of used Leopard 2A4 tanks from the Dutch for upgrading. This is an excellent idea.  Sweden would be the country to approach and the timing could not be better.  Not only do the Swedes have the largest number of CV90s in service,  the Swedish Army has just asked for more CV90s [1]  for their  ISAF troops who are now operating as part of  the ISAF PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif.  Swedish forces have come under attack from the Taliban insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades. Those deployed  Swedes need vehicles that can withstand  the barrage of  RPGs  –  their uparmoured  CV9040C model.  However, the Swedish government requires a source of  revenue in order to justify this new deployment of  vehicles. The Swedish FMV (Defence Materiel Administration) currently has a surplus of earlier model CV90s. The CV9040 B model forms the basis for the uparmoured and air-conditioned 'C model. Following the example of the Leopard tanks, Canada could ask to lease 20 Swedish CV9040Cs for immediate use in southern Afghanistan. As with the German Leopards, Canada could then pay to replenish Swedish stocks ( totalling 58 CV9040Cs) with surplus CV9040Bs  upgraded to the 'C model standards. Canada pays the bill and gains the capability,  Sweden gets the funds. So what is the difference between these CV90 models?  The original models of  CV9040 lacked some desirable features. [2] In 1997, orders were placed for the CV9040B, 'tweaked' specifically to allow it to keep up with Sweden's Leopard 2A5s. This 'B model introduced a more powerful engine and  improved suspension to keep pace with the tanks and a fully-stabilized Bofors 40 mm main gun to allow the CV9040B to fire accurately while on the move over rough ground.[3] The CV9040B has improved armour, raising its weight to about 23 tonnes (for comparison, the LAV III was designed for a gross vehicle weight of 17 tonnes). But, the 'B model's suspension could handle even more weight and  there was room to further enhance armour protection. To that end, the uparmoured CV9040C was created  – specifically for use on overseas operations. The CV9040C features thick add-on composite armour to protect its occupants and  is also air- conditoned to prevent heat-induced impairment of  the six-to-seven fully-equipped dismounts who ride in the back of  infantry fighting vehicles.  These changes – especially add-on armour panels  –  add almost 5 tonnes to the CV9040C's equipped weight (increased from 23-t to 28-t). To transport the CV9040C, Sweden joined SALIS, NATO's Strategic Airlift Interim Solution.[4] The armour package for the CV9040Cs was also intended for export to other countries already involved in overseas operations. Canada fits the bill.  Leased CV9040Cs deployed to southern Afghanistan would be a chance try out vehicles under operational conditions – both  the CCV concept generally,  and the CV90 vehicles specifically. This would benefit both our countries.  Swedish vehicles would be tested at the core of  the counterinsurgency,  and  the CF infantry would be able to keep up with our Leopard 2A6M tanks and rigorously test the CCV concept. The manufacturer of the CV90, BAE Systems, would certainly be happy since the lease would give them an edge in the upcoming  CCV contest.  But this ' trial by fire ' would help BAE only if their vehicle is the world-beater that it seems to be.  Sweden would benefit  by gaining more upgraded 'C models, but Canada would not be obliged to buy the vehicles. Nor would Canada need to accept the Swedish vehicle's main armament if a purchase were made. There's  a range of modern 30mm and 35mm main gun options already integrated onto turrets for the CV90 hull. DND procurement officers might want to contact the Swedish FMV  in order to find out how many of the 'B and 'C versions are available and whether a lease,  with an option to purchase about 20 of  these vehicles, would appeal to these government overseers of  military materiel. [1] In Swedish, the CV9040 is called the Strf 9040 (Stridsfordon 9040). Both designations mean the same thing –  Combat Vehicle  model 1990  armed with the 40mm Bofors automatic cannon. [2] The original version CV9040A had slightly thinner armour and two-axis gyro gun stabilizer. [3]  The main gun is a Bofors 40/70Bc cannon  (called an Automatkanon or Akan by Swedes). The vehicle carried 232 rounds of  40mm ammunition. The coaxial machinegun in the CV9040B is a 7.62mm KSP m/58, a Swedish version of the MAG, used by Canadian Forces as C6 GPMG. [4] Sweden was the first non-NATO country to join  SALIS along with Canada.  Like Canada, Sweden also has access to C-17s, in their case, through the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability.