The Czech Army has taken delivery of its first CV9030 MkIV infantry fighting vehicle at a ceremony in Sweden.
The rollout marks the beginning of a major modernisation effort, with 246 vehicles scheduled for delivery by 2030 under a deal worth around SEK 22 billion (USD 2.2 billion).
The ceremony was attended by Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson, and BAE Systems Hägglunds Managing Director Tommy Gustafsson-Rask. Speaking at the event, Gustafsson-Rask said:
“The CV90 provides an unrivalled combination of mobility, firepower, and protection, and will significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Czech Army. This is just the beginning – by joining the CV90 User Club, the Czech Republic also gains access to a community of experienced operators across Europe, enabling the exchange of operational insights, joint training opportunities, and accelerated introduction of future upgrades.”
According to BAE Systems, 39 vehicles will be built in Sweden while the remaining 207 will be produced in the Czech Republic, with local industry expected to account for 40% of the programme’s value. The company said this arrangement would provide opportunities in development, production, and system integration while bolstering the country’s defence sector.
Czech Defence Minister Černochová described the delivery as tangible progress: “Today is proof that we are not just talking about the modernization of the Army, but working hard to make it a reality. This is an important moment for the security of the Czech Republic. The CV90 project represents months of negotiations, hundreds of people, and thousands of hours of work. I am convinced that thanks to our joint efforts, Czech soldiers will receive in the CV90 the very best that the defense industry has to offer.”
The MkIV is the latest in the CV90 series, which has been adopted by several NATO members. It is fitted with a 30 mm Bushmaster II cannon, advanced fire control, and modular protection systems. BAE Systems states that it offers improved mobility and survivability in high-intensity conflict as well as peacekeeping roles.
Swedish Defence Minister Jonson added: “I am proud that we today can confirm this important milestone in the deliveries of the CV90 to our Czech partner. The CV90 now constitutes an important cornerstone in the armed forces of several countries, and it has proven effective on the battlefield in Ukraine and in the defence of Europe. The Czech Republic will now receive a battle-tested, efficient, and successful combat vehicle.”
The programme follows a three-party agreement between Prague, Stockholm, and BAE Systems. Deliveries will be phased to allow the Czech Army to train crews, integrate the vehicles into mechanised brigades, and maintain operational readiness during the transition.
If only we had….
Tease.
I’m not an Army SME like some, but there is an old engineering design expression that nearly always works “if it looks right, it usually is right”. The CV90 ticks all the boxes and just screams resilience, reliability and lethality, what’s more it’s rapidly becoming the dominant IFV in Northern NATO so it must meet their requirements.
As for the decisions that were made for Ajax and Boxer time will tell if it was correct or just a massive mistake that may cost soldiers their lives ! I pray that it doesn’t happen but if it does I just hope the General who thought he knew best and the Defence officials and Politicians that approved them get named and shamed.
In the good old days it would have been here’s a bullet, the guns in there and shut the door behind you.
That would be Geoffrey de Havilland.
I think he amended it slightly to his own industry. If it looks right it usually flys right.
Perhaps we should restart production of Mosquitoes and export them to Ukraine for anti-drone work (given that they’ve been using Yak52’s + rear gunner).
ABC. Ajax, we are told, is fixed and has been for some time, but it is very late to service. I see no reason why the decision to select GDUK’s vehicle over the BAE CV90 Recce variant would cost lives – Ajax is very well protected and armed.
The same cannot be said about the most bizarre decision to issue Boxer MIVs (APCs) to the infantry in the ABCTs in place of Warrior IFV. That decision will certainly cause lives to be lost as each infantry company will lose 14 cannons (30mm in the case of current Warrior and 40mm stabilised cannons in the case of upgraded Warrior). Boxers will not deliver such significant fire support as an IFV and will not be able to defeat enemy APCs or IFVs who they will be up against. Enemy IFVs are likely to destroy or severely damage Boxers.
Agree. It just looks the part. A missed opportunity lost at the bonfire of politics and some ex Army brass pushing Ajax for G Dynamics UK.
Red rag to a bull 😂
And how will any Ares based IFV compare to the CV90? And when/if ever happens.There’s still time to change things and have a mixed Ajax, Boxer, CV90 fleet.
Amen
Can’t say without seeing the design of an ARES based IFV is the short answer. There’s too many variables that could exist in the design.
So the Czech army is getting 280 modern top end tracked infantry fighting vehicles. Considering the size of its army and budget the Czechs are creating quite the powerful little force, 13,000 regulars and they will have
1 heavy brigade with 3 armoured infantry battalions in IFVs and 1 MBT regiment ( they may move to 2 as they are expanding their leopard 2 fleet to up to 120.
1 light Mec brigade with 3 Mec battalions in a modern 8 wheeler APC/IFV ( they have stuck a 30mm cannon on their APC and 1 battalion in protected mobility.
1 Airmobile regiment made up of 4 regular commando ( larger than a company smaller than a battalion but larger than a company) regiment is 1200 men
All backed up by three self propelled gun battalions.
They are also planning to replace their present 8 wheeled APC with possibly a boxer or patria (250)
They have ordered 62 CAESAR for their artillery battalions as well as 75 self propelled 120mm mortars on patria vehicles
Can we buy a few hundred, please? It looks like a light tank let alone an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and as ABCRodney above says, ‘if it looks right, it usually is right’. Eight northern European armies can’t all be wrong and I am sure that BAE Systems would be quite open to a UK production line to help reestablish our Armed Fighting Vehicle (AFV) production. The thing is it is ready to go and the Army needs a tracked IFV ASAP so the first few could be built in Seden whilst a plant is put together in the UK.
Cheers CR
CR, beware of suggesting that an IFV looks like a light tank! Even Scimitar was never considered by the army to be a light tank.
BAE of course has a major stake in an AFV production facility in the UK – the RBSL plant in Telford, where Boxer is currently being built. [RBSL of course being a JV combining BAE and Rheinmetall].
I am a big CV90 fan and think that BAE should have been contracted to build the recce variant in the UK – it would have been cheaper than GDUK’s Ajax, faster to deliver and would probably have had no major teething troubles, unlike Ajax – they would all have been built a few years ago probably. It would have set things up nicely for them to then build CV90 IFVs for the Armd Inf to replace Warrior (given that MoD was determined to cancel WCSP). We still needed Boxer as well of course for the Mech Inf.
But the issue was about phasing the money following the decision to bring forward Boxer delivery.
Could they re-purpose some of the Boxer deliveries for more RCH155 and purchase some Skyranger 30mm Shorad and maybe reduce the overall Boxer buys to be able to buy some CV90 IFVs?
The CV90 ship is well over the horizon and delivery’s wouldn’t be quick anyway,there is a long queue for them!
The ARES solution looks the better bet for us and carry out your idea on the boxers👍
Yes, way to go. Reports that Ares is in the running for Poland’s IFV requirement. They would fit their home developed turret. A deal with the UK would bring down the cost and secure follow on work for Merthyr Tydfil.
Quentin, the Boxer order is currently far too small anyway at 623 vehs. The army requirement was for well over 1200 Boxer APCs plus several hundred upgraded Warriors (that won’t happen)
British army looks on in envy……
UK neads to get a Czech list like that.
If they stopped trying to gold plate everything that comes in front of them and keep changing their minds and order some pretty good but cheaper stuff, they would have a nice new fleet or armoured fighting vehicles of the appropriate number for a 72,000 person army. The have managed to order the most expensive APC money can buy as well as the most expensive armoured cav vehicle..they even spaffed a few billion just on changing direction.. I do believe you can buy about 4 of the new French APC for the price of 1 boxer or a couple of hundred of them for the money spent on direction changes.
We should have bought this and k9 straight off the shelf