In some ways, Sweden is a surprising place to find some of the most modern weapon systems. Yet, in other ways, it isn’t such a surprise. Sweden managed to remain neutral in both World Wars and the Cold War, but they didn’t do so by simply asking politely. They developed a number of incredible weapons, ranging from the Saab Draken to the S-Tank, which acted as deterrents.
That trend continues today, as Sweden has now used its infantry fighting vehicle, the CV90, as the basis for a new light tank. That tank is called the CV90120T. Let’s take a closer look at this armored fighting vehicle – but to do that, we need to look at the vehicle it was derived from first.
The CV90 is known as the Stridsforden 90 in Sweden. It comes in three major varieties: The CV9040, equipped with a 40mm Bofors gun; the CV9030, equipped with a 30mm Bushmaster II chain gun (similar to that on the M1296 Stryker Dragoon); and the CV9035, equipped with a 35mm Bushmaster III chain gun. These vehicles have a crew of three and hold eight infantrymen. Sweden has also developed a 120mm-mortar-carrying variant, as well as a command variant, a forward-observer variant, and an armored recovery vehicle.
MilitaryFactory.com notes that the CV90120T is not the first such light tank. Sweden had developed a version with a 105mm main gun, the CV90105T. The CV90120T, however, brings some impressive firepower to the battlefield. It carries 45 rounds for its main gun – five more than the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank. The four-man crew can fire up to 14 rounds a minute.
There haven’t been any orders for this light tank yet. Weighing in at just under 39 tons, it can’t be carried by a C-130, but it is an easy lift for a C-17 Globemaster or C-5 Galaxy.
Learn more about this impressive, modern Swedish tank in the video below!