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Armoured Vehicles  –  Denmark's  CV9035  –  Afghanistan  –  November  2009 Danish Forces prepare their new CV9035 Infantry Fighting Vehicles for deployment  to Afghanistan – Meanwhile, DND plans for the CCV CASR  Editor,  Dianne  DeMille,  translates  a  news  release  for  Canadian  citizens The Auditor General's 2009 Fall Report reviewed the acquisition of military vehicles for use in Afghanistan. The conclusion was that, in contrast with DND's "non-urgent acquisitions", the loaned German Leopard 2A6M tanks "were procured and delivered quickly". The OAG report was less sanguine about DND's overall ability  to accommodate a new vehicle while following its own project approval guidelines and especially to ensure proper training and parts supply. Our European allies don't seem to experience such problems even when supplying smaller quantities of  vehicles. A case in point is the Danish approach to IFVs (their equivalent to DND's  Close Combat Vehicle project ). After a review, the Danes chose the Swedish CV90. This was not an  Urgent Operational Require- ment, merely a vehicle purchase. An order for 45  was placed in late 2005, with final delivery in 2009.  Meanwhile, 18 months familiarization training started  for a 2010 Afghan deployment. DND  was offered  a chance to lease CV90s  ( for use in  Afghanistan )  along  with  training Danish preparations for their CV9035 IFVs  (which they call an IKK or infanterikampkøretøjs) began at the same time that DND was preparing for the CF deployment to Kandahar.  So, why is DND's CCV procurement plans stuck at the definition of requirements and industry briefing stage?  It's not for lack of money  (cash  fire-hosed at CFB Trenton improvements alone could have fielded a decent-sized, interim  fleet of  CF  CCVs). Nor is it lack of opportunity. Sweden offered  the Canadian Forces  familiarization training on their CV9040s,  as well as a chance to lease CV9040Cs for  CF use in Afghanistan. Despite the urgency,  DND  planners muse about perfect solutions for future CCVs  –  to be delivered  after  Canada's Afghan Mission  is over. For the contrast alone,  it is worth watching the progress of  our Northern European allies. The article below describes Denmark's preparations for their CV90's deployment to Afghanistan. A few terms need explaining. This vehicle is dubbed the CV9035 MkIII by its maker BAE Systems but,  to the Danes,  it is simply called the IKK or Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The FMT mentioned in the article is the Forsvarets Materieltjeneste  ( Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization ). The original Forsvaret/FMT article Hovedeftersyn af IKK før udsendelse is translated below : Main IKK 'check-up' before Deployment  –  Danish CV9035 IKKs Prepared for Afghanistan Six weeks to prepare 10 infanterikampkøretøjs. That's the time that FMT personnel at Høvelte [ 30 km north of  Copenhagen]  have to make IKKs ready for their deployment to Afghanistan. The goal is a thorough check of  the total vehicle with complete refurbishing of  the drivetrain. [ Article first  published  as a  news release on the  Forsvaret  website  –  03  November  2009 ] "It  is  an  out of  this  world  logistic  puzzle,  and  there  will  be  ommere ( Do it again!) when it's so rushed," said Seniorsergent Jan Pedersen. As workshop supervisor,  SSgt Pederson oversees the mechanics presently repairing and replacing parts on the IKK. On average, Høvelte workshop can ready two vehicles per week  by working overtime.  In consequence, there's little extra time,  if something goes seriously wrong with a vehicle, or  if an  unforeseen need arises  for spare parts.  Mechanics have been split  into two groups. One team performs the drivetrain check-up,  the other takes care of  the check-up of  the turret. A Totally New Drivetrain  [ Rigourous  testing  and  training  are  hard  on  the  drivetrains ] "The tracks become very battered, so that they have to be changed together with the drive sprockets," SSgt Pedersen explains. The Oksbøl practice track [at the Hærens Kampskole/Army Combat School] is very hard on the vehicle drivetrains. As a result, drive sprockets are very quickly worn out. When the wear on a drive sprocket tooth reaches the round mark  [ See circular mark in photograph,  left ]  it is time  for a  replacement drive sprocket to be installed. The IKK engines are also to be pulled – a two-man, two-hour job,  if the work goes according to plan. After the engine pull, worn engine parts are replaced along with the fluids, filters, etc. BAE CV9035 Mk III  Infanterikampkøretøjs  –  A New Vehicle Type for the Danish Army "This IKK is an entirely new vehicle type for us,  but our people have taken the task to heart, and have taken on a form of  'owner ' relation to it," SSgt Pedersen says. He continues: "Even those who are not new to the job must be totally up-to-date in order to be able to turn out the once-worn vehicles in as-new condition. For those individuals, the technology is a challenge. The computerized,  interactive  repair manual has become a new tool, in line with the wrench." This is the first time that IKKs have gone through a main check-up.  Despite that,  there  have been no hitches anywhere. "We have a goal and will reach it with extra effort", says Pedersen. And  his  mechanics  support  SSgt  Pedersen.  In  fact,  those  mechanics  have  been  itching to  get  their  hands  on  the  IKKs:  "I was on an  IKK  course  a year ago,"  reports  mechanic Niels  Larsen ,  who  continues:   " It  is  exciting  to  have  this  new  equipment  to  work  on. We  must  deliver  something  decent  to  the  soldiers  in  the  field.   That  is  in  our  blood. "