BAE Systems has received a nearly $1.4 billion deal from Slovakia to deliver 152 of the CV90 Mk IV platform to serve as the country’s new infantry fighting vehicle (IFV).
The agreement, announced on Monday, was signed between Slovakia and the government of Sweden alongside BAE Systems Hägglunds.
“We are committed to delivering an infantry fighting vehicle that meets the Slovak Army’s requirements now and in the future,” Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hägglunds, said in a statement. “This is an important moment in our nations’ relations and we are honored to be part of this alongside our Slovak industry partners. We look forward to cooperating with Slovakia and we are building the program to deliver these vehicles on a proven industrial cooperation approach.”
Slovakia first announced in June it had selected the CV90 as its future IFV following a successful joint bid from Sweden and BAE Systems (Defense Daily, June 28).
“I am excited for another major modernization project for our land forces. With these vehicles, we are fulfilling our commitment from a few years ago – to build a heavy mechanized brigade. I am looking forward to close cooperation with our partners who are already using the Swedish vehicles,” Jaroslav Naď, Slovakia’s defense minister, said in a statement.
Slovakia will now be the eighth international operator of BAE Systems’ CV90, joining Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
BAE Systems noted Slovakia will receive the newest iteration of the CV-90, the CV9035, which will be outfitted with a D-series turret featuring a 35mm gun system, Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist active protection system and integrated with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ SPIKE-LR, advanced anti-tank guided missile.
“The vehicle combines improved battlefield speeds and handling with an upgraded electronic architecture to support future growth and meet the needs of the evolving battlefield,” the company said. “The turret provides CV9035 crews with improved protection and amplified combat efficiency through the latest generation of sensors, artificial intelligence and augmented reality software, increasing the CV9035s multi-domain capabilities on the battlefield.”
The company also noted that 122 of the CV-90s will be in the traditional IFV variant, while Slovakia will also receive 12 vehicles in a new “Anti-Material Rifles and Grenade Launcher Squad” configuration.
“The remaining vehicles will include Command & Control, Reconnaissance and Engineer and Recovery variants, aimed at providing specialist combat logistics support,” the company wrote in a statement.
Last month, BAE Systems announced it had signed a $90 million deal with Sweden to develop two new CV-90 variants set to be delivered between 2023 and 2027.
“The new variants are the Forward Maintenance vehicle, which will provide critical frontline support, repair, and recovery for other vehicles, ensuring improved overall combat vehicle availability; and the Combat Engineer variant, which will significantly grow the ability to ensure route clearance and deny enemy forces mission critical mobility,” BAE Systems said at the time.