Volvo Bv 202
Notes: This
vehicle was designed as a vehicle to negotiate difficult terrain, such as deep
snow and swamps, and is often known in the West as a "Snowcat."
By 2000 it is primarily used by Swedish, Norwegian, British, and Finnish
forces, with a few holdovers still equipping the US Army's 10th
Mountain Division and the two Arctic Brigades.
An unknown number have been donated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In
British and US service it is usually unarmored, but in Swedish, Norwegian, and
Finnish service it is usually equipped with appliqué armor.
In this guise, it is usually known as the "Skalman" (armorman), after a
Swedish cartoon character, an anthropomorphized turtle.
The layout of the BV 202 is similar to the BV 206, with a drive section
in front and a cargo section in the rear with a drive linkage between the two.
There are doors on either side of the drive section, and doors in the
rear of the cargo section. There is
a hatch on the roof of the vehicle, which is an NHT equivalent. The engine of
the Mk 1 is a 4-cylinder Volvo B18 gasoline engine developing 82.5 horsepower;
for the Mk 2, the horsepower is 97, but the B20 engine is basically the same,
just uprated. This is coupled with a manual transmission which, Swedish troops
noted, much quieter than the automatic transmission of the Bv 206. The Bv 202
has less ground pressure than a fully equipped soldier on skis.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Mk1 |
$3,626 |
G, A |
1 ton |
3.9 tons |
2+8 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
w/Armor |
$4,163 |
G, A |
1 ton |
5.4 tons |
2+8 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
Mk 2 |
$3,659 |
G, A |
1.2 tons |
4.1 tons |
2+8 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
w/Armor |
$4,196 |
G, A |
1.2 tons |
5.6 tons |
2+8 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Mk1 |
161/113 |
45/31/4 |
156 |
37 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
w/Armor |
128/90 |
36/25/3 |
156 |
37 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF2
HS2 HR2 |
Mk2 |
174/121 |
48/34/4 |
156 |
43 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
w/Armor |
138/97 |
38/27/3 |
156 |
43 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF2
HS2 HR2 |
Notes: Designed by
The design is
similar to the proven Bv 202, with a front section containing the crew, engine,
and some of the passengers and cargo; the rear section is the primary
load-carrying section. An
articulating joint that allows greater off-road mobility than one long vehicle
and also transmits power to the rear section connects the two sections; turn
radius is surprisingly tight. The
heater in the Bv 206 is very efficient, able to maintain a comfortable
temperature in the front or back in temperatures as cold as –40 degrees Celsius.
The body is made from a fiberglass-reinforced plastic exterior and a PVC
interior, with insulation sandwiched between the two. Fuel is contained in two
equally-sized tanks; flow may be shifted manually or automatically, with normal
flow being from the left tank, then the right. Early production models were
powered by a Ford Model 2658E gasoline engine developing 136 horsepower;
Mercedes-Benz OM603.950 power current production models, developing 125
horsepower or an optional 132 horsepower. German Bv 206s are equipped with an
uprated diesel engine developing 136 horsepower.
At least 17
variants of the basic vehicle were available by 2000.
There are two doors on either side of the front section and one on either
side of the rear section; each section also has a roof hatch, and these
sometimes have weapons mounts, though they are not standard.
Twilight 2000
Notes: By the Twilight War, over 10,000 were in use by 16 countries.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Gas 136 hp |
$4.141 |
G, A |
2 tons |
4.49 tons |
2+9 |
3 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Diesel 125 hp |
$4,114 |
D, A |
2 tons |
4.46 tons |
2+9 |
3 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Diesel 132 hp |
$4,131 |
D, A |
2 tons |
4.49 tons |
2+9 |
3 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Diesel 136 hp |
$4.141 |
D, A |
2 tons |
4.49 tons |
2+9 |
3 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Gas |
211/148 |
59/41/3 |
360 |
60 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Diesel 125 hp |
199/139 |
55/39/3 |
360 |
37 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Diesel 132 hp |
206/144 |
57/40/3 |
360 |
39 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Diesel 136 hp |
211/148 |
59/41/3 |
360 |
40 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Notes: This is a
Swedish truck that is also in use by
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
4140/4141 |
$3,781 |
G, A |
1.2 tons |
3.45 tons |
2+5 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
4142 |
$3,973 |
G, A |
1.96 tons |
3.9 tons |
2+7 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
4143 |
$4,523 |
G, A |
3.1 tons |
5.5 tons |
2+9 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
4140/4141 |
271/137 |
75/38 |
83 |
55 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
4142 |
245/124 |
69/34 |
125 |
55 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
4143 |
188/95 |
52/26 |
150 |
55 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Volvo L2204
Notes: This is a
light 6x6 truck of conventional design and construction.
It entered service in 1955, and by 2003, most have been scrapped or sold
off to civilians. The layout is
conventional with the engine in front under a large hood, the cab behind that,
and the rear cargo area. The sides of the cargo area are removable, as is the
canvas cover and the troop seats.
The windshield of the cab is hinged and may be folded forward to increase
visibility or allow for a weapon to be fired forward of the vehicle. In the
front of the cargo body is a 4-ton capacity winch; it operates from a PTO on the
engine, and is led out from the front or rear.
The suspension is 6x6 and incorporates differential locks.
The engine is a Volvo A6 gasoline engine developing 115 horsepower,
coupled with a five-speed manual transmission. Note that if the L2204 stays on
roads, it can haul 2.25 tons.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$4,948 |
G, A |
1.5 tons |
5.7 tons |
3+10 |
3 |
Headlights |
Open |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
172/87 |
43/24 |
90 |
51 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Volvo L3304
Notes: This
light reconnaissance vehicle was produced specifically for the Swedish Army.
It is called Pvpjtgbil-9031 by the Swedes.
The L3304 uses many of the automotive and cassis components of the Volvo
L3314 light truck (below). The front of the vehicle has a slot for a spare tire;
the engine is also at the front, with the two seats for the crew behind the
engine (separated by a firewall), and a small space behind the front seats for
cargo (usually ammunition). The engine is a Volvo B18A4 gasoline engine
developing 68 horsepower. The L3304 is used for basic reconnaissance or, when
equipped with a PV-1110 recoilless rifle, a light mobile antitank platform.
The L3304 is similar to other Western Fast Attack-type vehicles.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$2,200 |
G, A |
630 kg |
2.2 tons |
2 |
1 |
Headlights |
Open |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
239/120 |
67/34 |
46 |
30 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
Volvo L3314/C202
Notes: The L3314
is a light truck is used by Sweden, Norway, and some 40 other countries, though
it was no longer in production by 2000.
Hardtop and pickup versions of this truck exist.
The cab has a heater and defroster, and there is a winch with a capacity
of 2.1 tons. Versions of this truck
were armed with a PV-1110 recoilless rifle or a Bantam ATGM. Others were armed
with smaller weapons to protect the truck and the convoy it found itself in. The
engine of the L3314 is a 75-horsepower Volvo B18A gasoline burner. The L3314 may
tow 1 ton.
The C202 is a
later version of the L3314 described below.
This vehicle is heavier, and comes in hardtop and pickup versions.
The pickup has a heater for the front cab, and the hardtop version has a
heater for the whole passenger area.
C202s are not normally armed, nor do they have provisions for a weapon
mount; Hungarian military models do have a weapon mount, however. The C202 has a
more powerful engine than the L3314, and optional equipment includes an air
conditioner, engine heater, spotlight, snow tires, and a canvas top.
The vehicle has a winch with a capacity of 2 tons. The engine is a Volvo
B20A gasoline engine which develops 82 horsepower, The C202 may tow 1.5 tons.
In their
civilian guise, both the L3314 and the C202 were often marketed as the
Laplander.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
L3314 |
$3,142 |
G, A |
900 kg |
2.42 tons |
2+4 |
1 |
Headlights |
Open |
C202 Hard Top |
$3,242 |
G, A |
730 kg |
2.53 tons |
2+5 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
C202 Pickup |
$3,242 |
G, A |
925 kg |
2.53 tons |
2+5 |
2 |
Headlights |
Open |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
L3314 |
240/121 |
67/34 |
46 |
33 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |
C202 (Both) |
248/125 |
69/34 |
51 |
36 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF1
HS1 HR1 |