Czech Army tests first CV90 MkIV fighting vehicle in Sweden

The Czech Army has begun testing its first CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicle in Sweden, placing the new armored platform through demanding trials in harsh Nordic terrain and winter conditions.

The official X account of the Czech Army confirmed that the vehicle is undergoing extensive testing designed to verify that the platform meets the military’s operational requirements before the full fleet of vehicles enters service.

“Rough Swedish terrain, harsh Nordic winter – but that will not stop our new IFV,” the Czech Army said in a statement posted online. “The first Czech CV90 continues demanding testing. We want to be sure that everything meets our requirements before 246 new infantry fighting vehicles and tracked armored vehicles are introduced into service.”

The tests represent an early stage in the Czech Republic’s large-scale modernization effort aimed at replacing its aging Soviet-era infantry fighting vehicles with a modern Western-designed platform capable of supporting mechanized operations within NATO structures.

According to the Czech Army, the vehicle under evaluation features multiple layers of protection against unmanned aerial systems, reinforced armor, a powerful propulsion system, composite tracks, and a suspension system designed to maintain mobility despite the platform’s weight of more than 35 tons.

“Layered protection against unmanned systems, durable armor, a powerful power unit, composite tracks, a suspension system ensuring top mobility even at a weight of more than 35 tons,” the Czech Army said in the statement describing the vehicle’s capabilities.

The service added that the platform is intended to form the backbone of its future heavy brigade. “The right choice for our heavy brigade. We have something to look forward to,” the statement said.

The Czech Republic signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds in May 2023 for the delivery of 246 CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles. The agreement followed a decision by the Czech government in the summer of 2022 to begin negotiations with Sweden for the purchase of the vehicles, after the government tasked Defense Minister Jana Černochová with securing a modern replacement for the army’s existing fleet.

The procurement program represents one of the largest armored vehicle acquisitions in the country’s modern military history and forms part of a broader effort to align the Czech Armed Forces with NATO standards and improve its mechanized combat capability.

Under the agreement, production of the vehicles will be divided between Sweden and the Czech Republic. Of the total order, 39 vehicles will be manufactured directly in Sweden by BAE Systems Hägglunds. The remaining 207 vehicles will be assembled domestically in the Czech Republic by the state-owned defense company VOP CZ.

According to project plans, VOP CZ will handle final assembly, painting, and testing of the vehicles at its local proving ground before they are delivered to the Czech Army.

The industrial cooperation component of the program is intended to strengthen the Czech defense sector and ensure that domestic facilities gain experience in assembling and supporting modern tracked combat vehicles.

The first vehicles produced in Sweden are expected to be delivered next year. Larger-scale deliveries are scheduled to occur between 2027 and 2030 as the Czech Army gradually introduces the new platforms into service.