Hagglunds Bv-206S

     Notes:  The Bv-206S is an armored version of the Bv-206 tracked rough terrain/over-the-snow vehicle.  Like the Bv-206, the Bv-206S is designed for all types of difficult terrain, ranging from Arctic ice to snow to jungle swamps. Though it’s heavier weight makes it slightly less suitable for these types of rough terrain, it is a compromise between protection and mobility, and its light weight and wide tracks still allows it to negotiate most terrain that a tracked vehicle cannot negotiate.  Since its introduction, the Bv-206S, the Bv-206S has been ordered by France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Britain (mostly by the Royal Marines), Netherlands, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Spain, and the US (who designated it the M-973A2 SUSV), and some civilian relief organizations and news agencies operating in difficult terrain and potentially hostile fire. Several other countries are evaluating the Bv-206S.  Some other users include Chile, China, Pakistan, and Singapore, all of whom use only small numbers of the Bv-206S. Some 480 have been built so far.  Several specialist versions exist, including logistics vehicles, armored ambulances, command vehicles, mortar carriers, ATGM vehicles, AAA vehicles, FDC vehicles, and even an ARV.  Only the APC-type variants will be covered in this entry. Several countries have deployed the Bv-206S to Afghanistan, usually with appliqué armor fitted; they have excellent agility on Afghanistan’s rough, mountainous terrain, but have proven to be very vulnerable to mines, IEDs, and RPGs; even heavy machineguns like the DShK and NSV can make Swiss cheese out a Bv-206S.

     In 1997, Hagglunds was acquired by the British company of Alvis, which was subsequently renamed Vickers Defence, and in 2005, bought by BAE.  Currently, the Bv-206S is therefore built by a British consortium, though the actual vehicles are still built in Sweden by the Land Systems Hagglunds division of BAE.  The Bv-206S is also license-produced in Germany by Rheinmetall.

The Bv-206S APC

     The Bv-206S takes the form of articulated front and rear sections, with the front section carrying the engine, driver, commander, and three troops, and the rear section being the primary area for the carrying of troops and cargo, but there is no direct troop access between the front and rear sections. Of the Bv-206’s cargo capacity, one-third is carried in the front section and two-thirds in the rear section. The Bv-206’s front section is rather roomy, but the rear section is generally as cramped as most APCs. The rear section can have windows in the sides or rear, or they can be omitted; most countries appear to have omitted these windows, though large hatches are provided on the roof of the rear section and there are two doors on the rear face, as well as hatches on the deck of the rear section for the troops to stand and fight. Smaller armored glass vision blocks are also an option for the Bv-206S. The standard commander’s station has an overhead hatch with a simple pintle-mounted weapon. Behind the seats for the driver and commander is a bench seat for three passengers.  The other nine troops are carried in the rear section. The armored hull is constructed of all-welded steel, except for the large windows up front and to the sides of the driver and commander, which use bullet and blast-resistant glass that provides protection equal to the Bv-206S’s armor.  Armor is necessarily light to keep the weight of the vehicle down, though an appliqué armor kit is available that increases armor to all faces except the rear and the deck of the front and rear sections. Most versions of the Bv-206S retain the basic hull and form of the standard Bv-206S APC, differing only in internal details. The Bv-206S is equipped with an air conditioner and heater for both sections as well as an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system.  Hagglunds offers a collective NBC system and an NBC overpressure system as options. (The Germans are known to have taken these options.) Another option is a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the front of the vehicle; this seems to be an option that most countries have taken.

     Some French versions use a small turret equipped with an M-2HB machinegun over the commander’s station.  This turret is the same as is mounted on some versions of the Panhard VBL scout car, and is a small turret which, though it has a rather small hatch in the roof, is primarily designed to be operated by the standing commander from inside the Bv-206S.  This turret has a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret.

     The engine used by the Bv-206S is a Steyr M16 diesel engine providing 174 horsepower, coupled to a Mercedes-Benz W5A-580 automatic transmission.  The engine and transmission are linked to the rear section’s suspension and tracks so that both sections provide drive power via a small articulated tunnel between the two sections. The controls are conventional with a steering wheel, a gas pedal, and brake pedal. The Bv-206S can turn rather tightly, being able to accomplish a 180-degree turn in only 16 meters. The Bv-206S can negotiate steeper grades and side slopes than most tracked vehicles. The Bv-206S is also amphibious, requiring only the extension of a trim vane and the turning on of bilge pumps, requiring 4 minutes of preparation.  The Bv-206S is propelled in the water by its tracks.  The standard tracks are rather wide at 600mm, and wider ones can be fitted if necessary. The Bv-206S is compact and can be slung beneath helicopters, carried by large helicopters or in numbers by aircraft (you can stuff ten into a C-5 Galaxy transport), and even air-dropped.

Other Bv-206S Versions

   The command version of the Bv-206S primarily carried its command station in the rear section, and the front of the vehicle typically has the passenger seats removed and the resulting open space used to carry cargo. The rear section carries several radios (generally one short-range, one medium-range with data capability, and one long-range), a ruggedized laptop computer, a map board and plotting equipment for the battle situation, and folding tables and chairs for use outside if the situation permits.  Also carried are various office-type supplies, and the Bv-206S command version has a collection of drawers to store supplies and extra maps.  Also carried are a hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, and laser rangefinder. Command versions are typically NBC-sealed, having an NBC overpressure system with a collective NBC Backup.

     The ambulance version can take two stretcher-borne patients and three seated patients, as well as a medic.  Again, the rear section is the primary medical section, though it carries the likely equipment necessary for immediate treatment, like an oxygen administering set, a portable defibrillator, two splint sets, and about half of the medical equipment (a total of the equivalent of 20 personal medical kits and two doctor’s medical bags between the two sections). The front section generally has the passenger seats removed, and the resulting space used for personal equipment and a small refrigerator for perishable medical supplies. The ambulance version is generally unarmed.

     The logistics carrier uses a rear cargo section which is squared off (the normal section has rounded corners) and has no windows in the rear section.  This rear section is a little lower than used on the other variants. The floor of this rear section has rollers to facilitate the loading and off-loading of cargo, and has numerous tie-down and lock-down points.  The exterior of the rear section also has numerous tie-down points for out-sized cargoes.  This variant also has the rear passenger seats taken out of the front section, with the resulting space being used for personal equipment and more cargo.  A flatbed version of the logistics carrier is also available, with the rear section having no top and being essentially an articulated trailer on motorized tracks; the sides are just high enough to retain the Bv-206S’s amphibious capability. The flatbed version has a small crane (capacity 2 tons) to assist in the loading and off-loading of cargo. If appliqué armor is applied to this version, it applies only to the front section and the belly armor of the rear flatbed.  A hit on the flatbed logistics version from the rear is 80% likely to hit the rear of the front section, with the rest of hits hitting the trailer, which has an AV of 1.  The flatbed carrier, due to the nature of its rear section, is not amphibious.

     Norway is modifying some of its BV-206S APCs and logistic carriers to the P6 standard, which involves the installation of anti-capsizing bars on the front section, replacement of the standard engine with a 260-horsepower Cummins 6CTA8 diesel engine (with a corresponding increase in cargo capacity), and a hydrostatic transmission. Some other upgrades are done to the drive train, electrical system, and drive train. The weight does increase somewhat, but the large increase in power more than makes up for that.  The logistics carrier version is based on the closed-rear section version of the Bv-206S Logistics Carrier, and is designated the P6-300M.  The modification process is proceeding slowly; prototypes first appeared in 1997, but the upgrading process is still underway at a low speed. Other versions based on the P6 upgrades are possible in the future. The P6 can use the appliqué armor designed for the Bv-206S; in addition, Norwegian Bv-206S’s routinely use a bar/slat armor kit with anti-RPG mesh in conjunction with the appliqué armor kit. The combination of bar/slat armor and the mesh screens pre-detonate HE-type rounds and effectively act as spaced armor in game terms, but every hit on a face protected by bar/slat/RPG mesh combination will destroy 5% of the bar/Slat/RPG mesh.  Thus, a skilled enemy gunner can exploit this damage in an attempt to hit a hole in the armor, and if hit enough, the bar/slat/RPG mesh can become useless.  The P6 remains amphibious despite the increase in weight.

*See above for crew and passenger capacity.

**Belly armor with the appliqué armor kit is 4.

***The armor value of the rear flatbed section is 1.  80% of hits on this vehicle will be on the rear of the front section; 20% will be to the rear section.

****The armor value of the rear flatbed section is 1, except for the belly section, which is 4.  80% of hits on this vehicle will be on the rear of the front section; 20% will be to the rear section.

Hagglunds BvS-10

     Notes: The BvS-10 (called the Viking by the British and some other countries) is a further development of the Bv-206S.  Design work started in 2001, with development and extensive field trials lasting until 2004; the first field trials took place in Oman in 2001. As Hagglunds was by then owned by BAE and the BvS-10 was designed with the Royal Marines in mind, the primary design work was done in Britain and the Royal Marines played an integral part in the design process. Actual production is done in Sweden. Britain’s Royal Marines were the first to employ the BvS-10, receiving their first BvS-10s in 2005 and deploying them to Afghanistan in 2006; they did have some LRIP-built BvS-10s as early as 2003, as they were conducting the field trials for the vehicle.  The British remain the largest users of the BvS-10, with about 200 on hand, though starting in 2009, the British began a slow withdrawal of the BvS-10 from service and replacement by Singapore’s STK Bronco (called the Warthog by the British; the Bronco is essentially an improved variant of the BvS-10).  The BvS-10 has proven to be quite vulnerable to some mines (though the BvS-10’s low ground pressure makes triggering less-sensitive antitank mines less likely), IEDs, and RPGs due to the relatively thin armor and flat, thinly-armored floors.  Nonetheless, Britain still operates a considerable number of BvS-10s, generally with lots of appliqué armor as well as bar/slat-type armor and even anti-RPG mesh screens. As with the Bv-209S, the BvS-10 can be loaded in large numbers in several types of aircraft, and can be airdropped.

     In addition to Britain, the Dutch Marines have ordered 74 BvS-10s; most of them have already been delivered and some have been deployed to Chad as part of the EUFOR peacekeeping force there.  In addition, some Dutch BvS-10s have been deployed to Afghanistan; as with the British, the Dutch have heavily increased the armor on their BvS-10s in Afghanistan.  The French ordered 129 BvS-10s in December of 2009, and they are in the process of being delivered. Dutch experience in Chad and Afghanistan led to them and other users starting a replacement program for the BvS-10s drive shafts, which experienced several failures in use.  Norway is a recent customer of the BvS-10.

     Despite its shortcomings in the armor department, BvS-10 crews highly praise the vehicle for its exceptional agility over rough terrain and high speed.  Another name for the BvS-10, again particularly in British service, is the ATV(P), which stands for All-Terrain Vehicle (Protected). The Load capability of the front section is 35% of the total load, with the rest carried in the rear.

The BvS-10 APC

     The BvS-10 is similar in its basic design to the Bv-206S, but it is much larger and has generally more rounded lines that helps reduce its radar signature (though appliqué armor tends to negate this advantage). The APC version is designated the TCV (Troop-Carrying Variant). The BvS-10 is a modular design, and components of the variants of the BvS-10 can be quickly interchanged to produce the different variants. The rear sections, in particular, can be uncoupled and replaced with different specialist rear sections. The BvS-10 uses a much more powerful 250-horsepower turbocharged Cummins 5.9 diesel engine, with a greatly-improved transmission that operates much more smoothly than that of the Bv-206S.  The driving controls are also improved over the Bv-206S, as is the suspension, which offers a very smooth ride over even rough terrain; the suspension improvement means that the BvS-10 can turn around in a 14-meter space.  The BvS-10 is therefore able to carry more weight, which is good considering that it usually operates with considerable add-on protection.  The interior of both the front and rear sections is noted for being a bit cramped; the British are actually issuing their BvS-10-borne troops the SA-80A2K carbine version of the L-85A2. The front section carries the driver, commander, and three other troops in the front section and eight troops in the rear section.  The troops in the front and rear sections are connected by an intercom system. Both the front and rear sections have heaters and air conditioners. Above the commander’s station is a manually-rotating cupola with a pintle mount for a weapon; the cupola is usually surrounded by AV2 gun shields that incorporate bullet-resistant glass to the front and sides. The front section has doors on each side of the rear part of the cab as well as doors on the front part of the cab. The rear section has a large door at the rear of the section. On the front of the vehicle above the windshield on either side are clusters of three smoke grenade launchers. Even with appliqué armor and bar/slat armor kits fitted, the BvS-10 is fully amphibious, requiring only that a trim vane be extended and bilge pumps turned on (requiring 4 minutes). The tracks used on the BvS-10 are of Canadian design and are 620mm wide, giving the BvS-10 a low ground pressure; this not only gives the BvS-10 excellent off-road capability and the ability to operate effectively over show and in swamps, but also means that the BvS-10 has a 25% chance that it will not trigger an antitank mine that requires a pressure of 200 kilograms or more to detonate. An NBC overpressure system and/or a collective NBC system is an option.  The front and rear sections both have an automatic fire detection and suppression system. Of course, the weak point of the BvS-10 is it’s relative lack of protection.  The armor is of all-welded steel and is better than on the Bv-206S, and some additional attention was paid to mine protection, but its sill nothing to write home about. Thus, the BvS-10 is typically equipped with bolt-on steel appliqué armor plates as well as bar/slat armor, and often anti-RPG mesh screens.  The appliqué armor kit includes heavy anti-mine plates for the floor of the vehicle. The combination of bar/slat armor and the mesh screens pre-detonate HE-type rounds and effectively act as spaced armor in game terms, but every hit on a face protected by bar/slat/RPG mesh combination will destroy 5% of the bar/slat/RPG mesh.  Thus, a skilled enemy gunner can exploit this damage in an attempt to hit a hole in the armor, and if hit enough, the bar/slat/RPG mesh can become useless.

     In late 2009, the BvS-10 Mk II was introduced (resulting in the original BvS-10 being renamed the BvS-10 Mk I), and is currently being employed by British Royal Marines in Afghanistan.  The BvS-10 Mk II features improved base armor levels and upgraded drive train components, as well as a more powerful Cummins 5.9L 275-horsepower engine. It also has a wire cutter on a post in front of the vehicle to keep the commander from being injured by wires strung across a road, a common guerilla tactic.  The BvS-10 Mk II has a camera in the rear section to help the driver when he is backing up; to a limited extent, this can also be used for general observation.  It can also carry a 100-liter reserve fuel tank to extend its range.   The Mk II modifications are also available to BvS-10 variants.

BvS-10 Variants

     Though due to the modular nature of the BvS-10 the vehicle can be adapted to serve in a wide variety of roles, there are some distinct variants.  The APC-type variants include the BvS-10 CV (Command variant), which is used not only for command purposes; with minor changes in equipment, it can be used as a digital communications platform or a communications node.  The CV generally carries two short-range, two medium-range, and one long-range radio (which is data-capable), a ruggedized laptop, a map board, and various materials for the plotting of battlefield positions and conditions.  The CV is equipped with a battlefield management system (BMS), which primarily enables it to receive and sent digital reports and keep track of friendly and enemy positions (vehicle management is not included in the BvS-10 CV’s BMS suite). Various office-type supplies are carried, as well as a folding table and three folding chairs for use outside the vehicle if the tactical situation permits it.  A hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, laser rangefinder, and several pairs of binoculars are provided.  The BvS-10 CV carries two crewmembers and six command and staff personnel, three of which normally ride in the front section and three in the rear section, though there is room for all six command and staff personnel in the rear section. 

     The BvS-10 MV (Medical Vehicle) is a tracked armored ambulance.  Like most such vehicles, it has an oxygen administering set, a portable defibrillator, two splint sets, and about half of the medical equipment (a total of the equivalent of 20 personal medical kits and two doctor’s medical bags between the two sections). The front section generally has the passenger seats removed, and the resulting space used for personal equipment and a small refrigerator for perishable medical supplies. The rear section is the primary medical section of the vehicle, and most of the medical equipment and supplies are carried in the rear section; in the front section, the rear seats are generally removed and the space used to carry personal equipment and further medical equipment. The MV version is generally unarmed. The MV can carry four stretcher patients or two stretcher patients and four seated patients, along with the crew up front and a medic in the back.

     The BvS-10 LV (Logistics Vehicle) is similar in concept to the Bv-206S Logistics Vehicle, but as the BvS-10 is larger and more powerful, the BvS-10 LV can carry more cargo. As with the Bv-206S, the BvS-10’s rear section’s floor has rollers to facilitate the loading and off-loading of cargo, and has numerous tie-down and lock-down points.  The exterior of the rear section also has numerous tie-down points for out-sized cargoes.  This variant also has the rear passenger seats taken out of the front section, with the resulting space being used for personal equipment and more cargo.

     In addition to APC-type variants, there are repair and recovery versions and mortar carrier variants of the BvS-10.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle was slated to replace the Bv-206 and Bv-206S in several countries’ militaries as the Twilight War commenced, but deliveries had just begun at the outset of the war, and only about 300 total of these vehicles had been delivered at the war's outset, to Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.

*Hull deck armor is 3; hull floor armor is 4.

**Hull deck armor is 3; hull floor armor is 6Sp.

***See notes above for crew and passenger capacity.

Hagglunds CV-90

     Notes:  Development of the CV-9040 version of the CV-90, known to the Swedish as Stridsfordon 90, started in 1984 when Hagglunds was still a wholly-Swedish company, as well as by Saab, who designed the turret.  The CV-9040 was designed to be a heavily-armed tracked carrier which would be fast and agile, be armed with a conventional (i.e., non-ATGM) weapon that had some minor-antitank capability and be able to handle lighter armored vehicles and low-flying aircraft, and still be to an extent airmobile.  Development was long and involved, and proceeded in stops and starts due to funding difficulties at various times, periodic incorporation of new technology and concepts, and lengthy field trials.  Production of the CV-9040 version for the Swedish Army began in 1993 and continued though 2002; other versions of the CV-90 series remain in production for export customers.  As of June 2010, the CV-90 series is in use by Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Denmark; the British are testing a modified form of the CV-9040 under its FRES-SV program to find a new scout vehicle.  Canada has recently selected the CV-9030 for its Close Combat Vehicle (CCV) to operate in conjunction with its Leopard 2A4 tanks, with first deliveries starting in mid-2011. Several subtypes have been produced, using different armament, armor levels, and various bells and whistles; in addition, upgrade packages have been devised. The CV-90 has seen combat service in Afghanistan with the Swedish and Norwegians, where they have proven quite valuable, particularly since versions posted to Afghanistan have been fitted with heavy add-on armor. Sweden have also deployed the CV-9040 to Liberia as part of Sweden’s contingent to the UN peacekeeping force. The Danish plan to have their CV-9035s in Afghanistan soon.

The Original Version: The CV-9040

     The CV-90 hull is designed with a high level of base armor (for an IFV) made of all-welded steel, meant to offer protection for against up to 30mm rounds from the front, and an appliqué armor package was also devised from the outset.  Other armor upgrade packages have been designed since then, as well as a lug system for ERA; this includes simple bolt-on steel plates, the MEXAS ceramic spaced armor package, and bar/slat/anti-RPG mesh cages. The design of the CV-90 has a low, generally rounded silhouette which reduces the radar signature, as well as dampeners for the exhaust system and engine heat in general which lower its IR signature (-2 deficit for detection by both methods).  The sound signature is also relatively low; under some circumstances, the CV-90 cannot be heard by the enemy until the CV-90 is almost on top of them. The CV-90 is equipped with separate automatic fire detection and prevention systems for the turret, engine and driver’s compartment, troop compartment, and fuel tanks.  The crew and passengers are protected by an MBC overpressure system with a collective NBC backup system, as well as a chemical agent and radiation detector. The CV-90 is not designed to be amphibious.

     The turret of the CV-9040 is armed with the proven Bofors 40mm L/70 autocannon.  (Initial models were to be armed with the 25mm Bushmaster ChainGun, but this was discarded in favor of the L/70.) The L/70 mounted on the CV-90 is a modified version which has a triple-feed mechanism, and is fed by three magazines with 24 rounds in each magazine; the rest are primarily carried in the hull with the rest being in the Hull just forward of the turret. In addition to a coaxial machinegun, the CV-9040 is armed with two Lyran 71mm mortars on the rear of the turret behind the commander’s station which can fire smoke or illumination rounds to an extended range, and four smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret.  A later addition was a pintle mount at the commander’s station for a SAW-type weapon or a light machinegun. Both the Lyran mortars and the smoke grenade launchers can be fired when buttoned up from the commander’s station.  The turret carries the commander on the right side of the turret and the gunner on the left. The sighting system on the CV-9040 incorporates a ballistic computer and laser rangefinder, and the night vision system is comprehensive.

     The driver is in the front left; he has three vision blocks to the front, and can replace the middle vision block with a night vision block. The driver has a conventional steering yoke with a gas and brake pedal. The troop compartment has a large door in the rear for entry and exit, but the CV-90 has no firing ports or vision blocks for the troops, as tactical doctrine for all countries involved so far call for troops to dismount in all cases and not fight from the vehicle.  There are two overhead hatches on the rear deck for standing troops, and hatches on the turret deck for the commander and gunner. The CV-9040 has heating and air conditioning systems for crew comfort, as well as an NBC overpressure system with a collective NBC backup system.

     The suspension of the CV-90 is particularly noted for its smooth ride and large lack of the squeaks and creaks that tend to go along with most tracked vehicles, and this contributes greatly to its ability to move on enemy positions without being noticed until it’s too late.  The engine noise is also effectively dampened out by insulation and exhaust baffles that also reduces its IR signature and gives the engine good protection from burning fuel being poured into the engine compartment.  The engine used is a Scania DSI-14 550 turbocharged diesel; coupled to an automatic transmission.  The engine, transmission, and part of the drive train are part of an integrated power pack that can be removed from the vehicle in one piece, quickening and simplifying maintenance and allowing a complete powerpack change in as little as 15 minutes.  Other parts of the vehicle are also designed for easy access. The troop compartment is designed for eight, but putting eight fully-equipped troops in the troop compartment leaves them very cramped.

    Upgrades started in 2001 gave the CV-9040 a Scania DI-16 600-horsepower engine and matching transmission, general suspension and drive train improvements, and electrical system updates, as well as a fully-stabilized main gun and coaxial machinegun.  A US-designed FLIR system was also fitted as well as an improved ballistic computer.  A laser warning system was added to the defensive suite, and a commander’s independent sight system was installed to give the CV-9040 a hunter/killer capability.  After this first set of improvements, the resulting vehicle was dubbed the CV-9040B. Between 2005 and 2008, some CV-9040s were equipped with a battlefield management system, though the resulting vehicle was still called the CV-90409B. The CV-9040C version was designed for use in Afghanistan, and have these improvements as well as bolt-on spaced appliqué steel armor modules for the hull and turret, bar/slat/anti-RPG mesh and improved hull floor, hull deck, and turret deck armor as well. Thickened Kevlar anti-spalling liners have been added to the interior. Every hit on a face protected by bar/slat/RPG mesh combination will destroy 5% of the bar/slat/RPG mesh.  Thus, a skilled enemy gunner can exploit this damage in an attempt to hit a hole in the armor, and if hit enough, the bar/slat/RPG mesh can become useless. (This is true in general of any type of bar/slat/anti-RPG mesh appliqué).           

The CV-9030

     The Norwegians were the first export customers for the CV-90; however, like every other country using the CV-90, they did not feel that a heavy autocannon like the 40mm L/70 was warranted, opting to go with an ATK 30mm M-230 Bushmaster II autocannon instead.  The coaxial machinegun is an MG-3 instead of the Ksp m/39. The Lyran mortar system is not fitted to the CV-9030N. Deliveries of the resulting vehicle, the CV-9030N, began in 1995, with 104 delivered by the time production stopped in 2001. The CV-9030N is also known by the BAE/Hagglunds company designation of CV-9030 Mk I. Though the hull and its systems are built in Sweden by Hagglunds, the turret of the CV-9030N was built in Norway under license by Kvaemer Eureka (which has since closed down). The CV-9030N is typically armored for combat with the MEXAS layered ceramic armor kit as well as a bar/slat/anti-RPG mesh cage designed by the German company RUAG; appliqué armor is virtually the standard for Norwegian CV-9030Ns. Most of the other features of the CV-9040 are included, and has the same drive train, hull, turret, and general layout. The CV-9030N retains the large rear hatch; however, the CV-9030N also has a power-operated rear ramp. The CV-9030N’s main armament was fully stabilized from the outset; the fire control suite is otherwise the same as that on the CV-9040, suitably modified for use with the 30mm autocannon. The CV-9030 was also equipped with the Scania DI-16 600 turbocharged diesel and its matching transmission as part of its original design. Though the CV-9030 does have room for the same eight troops as on the CV-9040, the Norwegians normally use a troop complement of only 7 in recognition that the troop compartment is very cramped. The Norwegians intend to upgrade their CV-9030Ns to the CV-9030S standard, which includes additional hull floor armor, a more compact air conditioner, and a camera for use by the driver when backing up, as well as the add-on armor kit described above.

     The Swiss version of the CV-9030, the CV-9030CH (known as the CV-9030CH in its company designation, and sometimes in the Swiss Army as the Grenadier Tank 2000), is also the same in basic form as the CV-9030N, but as the Swiss Army has not deployed its CV-9030s yet, the Swiss Army has not yet added any armor its vehicles.  However, they don’t need to, since the standard armor for the glacis and turret front is a layered mix of hardened steel, ceramics, and Kevlar, and turret and hull sides use spaced steel/ceramic armor. The hull and turret decks and hull floor also have additional armor. The Swiss Army had planned to have 186 CV-9030CHs by 2005, but procurement has been slowed due to budgetary problems and questions by the Swiss government about the necessity of such a vehicle. The coaxial machinegun used is the M-86 version of the M-51. 186 CV-90CHs were delivered between 2002 and 2005. The CV-9030CH is armed with a version of the M-230 called the Mk 44, which, while the standard installation is a 30mm autocannon, can be modified into a 40mm weapon firing case-telescoped ammunition at a later date if desired. (There are currently no plans by the Swiss Army to do so.) The armament is fully stabilized and includes a ballistic computer and laser rangefinder. The commander does not have an independent sight, but can access the gunner’s sights and he has auxiliary controls for the main armament. The engine is an uprated version of the DI-16 called the DS-14 which has an output of 670 horsepower. The rear troop compartment’s roof has been raised 14 centimeters, and a powered ramp is installed at the rear, which also retains its large hatch. The CV-9040CH has screens which can display the vehicle state, the amount of ammunition, and navigation information such as compass heading and maps.  This system is called the VIS (Vehicle Information System). The fire control system includes a special digital sight for antiaircraft use as well as the standard sights for ground targets, and the Hagglunds Vehicle Control System (HCVS). This system includes screens at each crew position that can display a CCD camera view of the exterior of the vehicle (with the CCD being located at the front of the turret), a built in diagnostics self-tests for the CV-9030CH’s systems and the HADS (Hagglunds Defensive Aids Suite), which is essentially a soft-kill APS system.  The HADS includes IR emitters that emit coded, pulsed IR beams to decoy IR-guided munitions (on a roll of 12+ on a d20, the difficulty to the ATGM gunner is increased by one level; outstanding success indicates that the incoming missile pre-detonates before it can hit the CV-9030CH).  They can also temporarily blind IR sights and image intensifiers; this is successful on a roll of 8 on a d20 for IR sights and 5 for image intensifiers.  An electro-optical jamming system is included to jam wire-guided and radio-guided ATGMs (on a roll of 12+ on a d20, the difficulty to the ATGM gunner is increased by one level; outstanding success indicates that the incoming missile pre-detonates before it can hit the CV-9030CH). A laser warning system is also included with the HADS; when the CV-90 is being lased by a laser designator, an alarm sounds inside the CV-90, and a pair of smoke grenades are automatically launched to help obscure the CV-90 to the laser beam.  The laser warning system and the smoke grenades can also be triggered manually by the commander. The smoke grenades can also be triggered by the gunner manually if he feels it is necessary. As with the CV-9040, the CV-9030CH has four smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret, but it not fitted with the Lyran mortar system. The CV-9030CH is equipped with a 1kW APU to run the vehicle’s systems while the engine is switched off. Though the hull parts of the CV-9040CH are built in Sweden, they are assembled in Switzerland by RUAG; RUAG also builds the turret of the CV-9040CH.

     A version of the CV-9030CH is used by Finland, where it is designated the CV-9030FIN.  Deliveries of the first batch of 57 started in 2002 and ended in 2005; a second batch of 45 was delivered from 2006 to 2007. Finland eventually hopes to have 150 CV-9030FINs. Differences between the CV-9030FIN and CV-9030CH includes the use of a PKT as a coaxial machinegun instead of the M-86. The suspension of the CV-9030FIN has been upgraded and the vehicle uses wider tracks in recognition of the difficult terrain in Finland. The engine is an uprated version of the DI-16 called the DI-16 40A 01 which has an output of 620 horsepower. The special armor used on the CV-9030CH is not installed on the CV-9030FIN, though simple bolt-on appliqué armor is fitted as standard to the turret, hull, hull and turret deck, and hull floor. The CV-9030FIN has a version of the HADS suite which, though domestically produced, is identical to the HADS suite for game purposes.

     It has been proposed that the turret of the CV-9030CH could be fitted to the South African Rooikat light armored vehicle and the MOWAG ACV 10x10 wheeled LAV, as well as the BMP-1 and BMP-2. This could be with or without the HADS suite.

     Switzerland and Finland also use the CV-9030 COM, which is a command version of the CV-9030CH or CV-9030FIN.  These are both like the CV-9030s of their respective countries, but the troop compartment is modified to carry a battlefield management system, two short-range, two medium-range, and one long-range data-capable radios.  A ruggedized laptop computer is also carried, as well as a hand-held thermal imager for the commander and several pairs of binoculars.  Drawers and compartments for maps and office-type supplies are installed, but the CV-9030 COM does not have a large map board like most command vehicles. The troop compartment caries four command and staff members in individual seats facing the radios and equipment instead of the bench seats down each side of the vehicle for troops.

     The British is evaluating a heavily-modified version of the CV-9030 (along with several other vehicles) for its FRES-SV (Future Rapid Effect System Specialist Vehicles) requirement.  This will be an IFV modified for the scout/reconnaissance role, with a special day/night vision system, extra communications equipment, and special equipment to allow it to be used to control artillery and air strikes.  The program is still very much ongoing and the final vehicle used as a base for the FRES-SV and the exact configuration are still under development, though the main armament will likely a 40mm case-telescoped ammunition-firing weapon.

The CV-9035

     The Dutch use a version of the CV-90 called the CV-9035NL (also known by its company designation of CV-9035 Mk III). The Dutch signed the contract for their vehicles in late 2004, and design work began at this time, though for the most part all that needed to be worked on was the new turret.  The CV-9035 officially entered service with the Dutch Army in 2008, though small numbers were issued to units in 2007. The initial order of 184 CV-9035DKs was delivered from 2007 to 2009; recently, the Dutch ordered another 8 CV-9035DKs, which are to be delivered in 2010. (The original number desired by the Dutch Army was 200.) The basic hull is still built in Sweden, but the new armor kit is added by Halteren Metall of the Netherlands and the turret is built by the same company. The Dutch version is armed with the ATK 35mm Bushmaster III ChainGun, which can be upgraded to fire 50mm if the Dutch Army desires this at a later date. The CV-9035 uses the MAG as its coaxial weapon as well as the commander’s weapon. The CV-9035 is equipped with a RUAG add-on armor package which includes frontal armor and bar/slat/anti-RPG mesh armor similar in design to the CV-9030N above, but includes a different type of appliqué armor for the sides of the vehicle.  The appliqué armor uses a distinctive ripple shape on the vehicle sides where the ripples have a pronounced V-shape; though this appliqué armor is also provided by RUAG, it clearly is influenced by the appliqué armor applied to the Zelda version of Israeli M-113s and US AAVP-7A1 APCs.  The add-on armor also pays particular attention to mine protection, with the floor armor being greatly increased (the CV-9035 has the most floor armor of all the CV-90 series); deck armor for the turret and hull is also increased. (This makes the CV-9035NL and CV-9035DK the best protected member of the CV-90 series – but it pays for that protection in weight.) The CV-9035 is equipped with the latest generation of the Swedish UTAAS fire control system, which includes a ballistic computer, laser rangefinder, and a special antiaircraft sight which takes full advantage of the UTAAS suite’s capabilities.  (The difference between the CV-9035’s fire control system and the CV-9040B/C is unfortunately not quantifiable in game terms.)  The CV-9035 uses an independent day/night vision system as well as an independent fire control system (though it uses the same ballistic computer as the gunner), which gives the CV-9035 complete hunter/killer capability. The commander has full auxiliary controls for the main armament, and the commander has the ability to feed target information directly to the gunner’s computer and have the main armament switch automatically to the new target so that the gunner can engage it, requiring only the push of a button by the gunner or commander. The CV-9035 is equipped with the HADS suite to increase its protection. The CV-9035s are driven by the Scania DI-16 600-horsepower turbocharged diesel engine. The CV-9035NL is also equipped with a full BMS system that includes the VIS system detailed above. 

     Denmark also uses the CV-9035 (designated the CV-9035DK), which is configured to the CV-9035NL standard but the night vision suite is upgraded to use the British Thales MT-DNGS commander’s sight/night vision system, which includes an updated Claire thermal imager, and the Catherine XP FLIR night vision system with the UTAAS fire control system. They do not have the BMS of the CV-9030NL, though they do have the VIS. The Danish use the MG-3 as their coaxial and commander’s weapons. These vehicles were delivered from 2007-2009. Assembly and the upgrades are performed by in Hydrema Export in Denmark. The CV-9035DK has seen combat experience in Afghanistan, though they did not deploy to Afghanistan until early 2010. The Danish employ 45 CV-9035DKs. The CV-9035DKs will replace most of their M-113 G3 DKs and some M-92s.

     The Canadians have recently selected the CV-9035 as their new IFV after a lengthy trial period and much (sometimes heated) debate between the Canadian Army and the Canadian government.  The Canadian Army feels that such a vehicle is necessary for the increasingly-deadly conflict in Afghanistan, but it took a lot of convincing the Canadian government to agree to foot the bill.  The size of their order is not yet known, but the Canadian CV-9035s are likely to be a version of the CV-9035NL, with assembly being carried out in Canada and some components (such as the fire control package and night vision suite) being of Canadian design instead of using foreign components. The Swiss are also considering a version of the CV-9035 to supplement their CV-9030CHs, using the armor suite, engine, fire control and night vision suite, and APU of the CV-9030CH.

     The Dutch also use a command version, the CV-9035NL CV, which is the CV-9035NL configured in a manner similar to the CV-9030CH COM and CV-9030FIN COM above, though a separate hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, and laser rangefinder is not supplied, and they do not have the 1kW APUs. The Danish do not employ a version of the CV-9035NL CV, though a few of their CV-9035DKs are fitted with additional radios (a total of one short-range, one medium-range, and one long-range), a GPS system, and carry a ruggedized laptop computer for use as command vehicles or scout vehicles. Troop capacity is reduced to allow room for the extra equipment.

The Stripbv-90

     The Stripbv-90 (also called simply the CV-90 Forward Command Vehicle) is a command version of the CV-9040, designed not only to provide extensive command and communications functions, but also to be able to keep up with and operate with other primary combat vehicles.  So far only the Swedish Army uses the Stripbv-90; production and first issue began in 1995 and production has long since been completed, though Hagglunds remains willing to re-open the production lines if other countries decide to buy their own versions of the Stripbv-90. The basic hull remains the same as that of the CV-9040, though the interior details are greatly different.  The turret differs greatly from the CV-9040, as it contains more communications and sighting gear and eliminates the heavy armament of the CV-9040; it is therefore also a bit smaller.  The armament of the turret is limited to a single machinegun, though the gunsights of the coaxial machinegun of the CV-9040, laser rangefinder, and ballistic computer are retained, as are the smoke grenade launchers and Lyran 71mm launchers.  The primary use of the turret is for training of the night vision equipment, laser rangefinders (the Stripbv-90 has one for sighting the machinegun and one for finding the range to targets in general to help plot artillery and air strikes), and general observation gear.  The hull is heavily rearranged, accommodating one short-range, two medium-range, and two long-range radios (including one which is data-capable); in addition, there are screens and controls which feed from the sensors and observation devices in the turret. The Stripbv-90 has a GPS system and a BMS. In addition, the Stripbv-90 is equipped with a pair of ruggedized laptop computers and an extra external hard drive system, bench tables and seats, for the radio/computer operators and command/staff crews, a map board, and plotting and office-type supplies that are normally present on a command vehicle. The hull of the Stripbv-90 can take the same appliqué armor as the CV-9040, though it cannot use the CV-9040’s turret appliqué armor; therefore, a special appliqué armor package was devised for the Stripbv-90’s turret which offers the same protection.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Sweden and Norway were the only countries to field the CV-90 series in the Twilight War.  All of Sweden’s CV-90 fleet were CV-9040s, though some were given additional protection using bolt-on spaced steel armor modules for the turret and part of the hull, as well as plating for the hull and turret deck and hull floor.  (This is the “w/Appliqué” version listed below.) Soviet and Pact soldiers tended to look out in dismay when Norwegian CV-9030s showed up, especially if they were equipped with add-on armor.

*This version has a hull and turret deck AV of 3, and a hull floor AV of 4.

**The CV-9040C and the CV-9030N with its appliqué armor kit have a hull and turret deck AV of 3, and a hull floor AV of 5Sp.

***The CV-9030S has a hull and turret roof AV of 3 and a hull floor AV of 7Sp.

****The CV-9030CH and CV-9030FIN have a hull and turret deck AV 4, and a hull floor AV of 5.

*****The CV-9035NL and CV-9035DK have a hull and turret deck AV of 4, and a floor AV 6Sp.

Hagglunds Pbv-302

     Notes:  The Pbv-302 is an older Swedish APC which replaced the interim-solution Pbv-301 (which was a rebuilt and heavily-modified Strv m/41, a Swedish version of the pre-World War 2 Czech TNH light tank). Design work on the Pbv-302 began in 1961, but full production and first issue did not begin until 1966, with production continuing until 1971.  Though the Pbv-302 has been almost totally replaced in service by the CV-9040 and Swedish versions of the BMP-1 and MT-LB, small amounts of the Pbv-302 are still in service as APCs and more are still in use as specialist vehicles.  The APC version (in a modified form) has seen combat service as recently as the UN KFOR deployment in Kosovo. The Pbv-302 is basically in the same class as eary-1960s APCs like the M-113 and FV-432, but its heavier armament gives it an edge in firepower and the relatively powerful engine gives it an edge in speed and agility. Some 650 Pbv-302s of all versions were built; a great deal of them have met a sad end on gunnery ranges, though some that are not still in Swedish Army service are now in museums or the hands of private collectors. Hagglunds offered the Pbv-302 for export, but had no takers. The Pbv-302 shares some components with the Ikv-91 tank destroyer.

The Basic Pbv-302

     The standard APC version is designated the Pbv-302A. The Pbv-302 is basically an armored box on tracks, and has a large boxy hull with a gently-sloping glacis.  The driver is in the front center of the hull; he has a conventional steering yoke in addition to pedals for the gas, brakes, and clutch. The driver has three vision blocks to his front; the center block can be removed and replaced with night vision block. Behind and to the right of him is the commander’s hatch, which is ringed by vision blocks, but has no provision for a weapon.  Atop the rear deck are two long, narrow hatches which allow the troops inside to stand and fight from the vehicle; these hatches are hydraulically-assisted and require only a light touch to swing open.  They are a bit of a tight squeeze. They open to the center, just enough for the hatch cover to stand straight up.  Two large hatches are found in the rear of the vehicle for troop entry and exit.  The arrangement of the troop compartment is a little unusual: at the front of the compartment at the center is a single seat facing towards the rear doors (normally occupied by the squad leader), three troops are seated on each side of the compartment on folding bench seats, occupying most of the center of the compartment, and the remaining two members of the infantry squad are seated next to the rear doors on folding seats and facing back-to-back towards the outsides of the vehicle.  (Operationally, the Swedes sometimes squeeze in a tenth infantryman, though he sits on the floor.) There are no firing ports or vision blocks for the troops in the rear.

     Behind the driver and to his left is the Pbv-302’s small turret; this is the same turret which is found on the Bgbv-82 ARV, the Swiss Schutzenpanzer 63/73 version of the M-113A1, and some versions of the Brazilian EE-11 Urutu wheeled APC.  The turret has three vision blocks to the front and one to the rear.  The turret armament is a license-built version of the Swiss Hispano-Suiza HS-804 20mm autocannon (designated the m/47D); most of these autocannons were taken off of the obsolete Saab J-29 Tunnan fighter, and modified them for use in the Pbv-302.  (For much of its time in the Swedish Army, the manuals issued for use and maintenance of the autocannon were actually tech manuals for the J-29 Tunnan’s autocannon installation.) The Swedish Army at first used the HS-404 in the Pbv-302 as designed, firing primarily HE ammunition from a 135-round belt and loading a 10-round AP belt when necessary (the HS-404 is not a dual-feed weapon), but the Pbv-302’s autocannon was later changed to feed from 30-round magazines (usually firing multipurpose ammunition) that could be changed much more quickly.  The gunner has no night vision devices, but does have an x8 magnification sight which can be used against ground and also has a separate channel for aerial targets.  (Originally, the gunsights were magnified only for use against ground targets, and a simple reticle was used against aerial targets.) In peacetime, a Ksp m/58 machinegun is mounted on a pintle in front of the gunner’s hatch; however, this is normally used during training only to simulate cannon fire, since there are no blank adapters, ammunition, or laser training emitters for the HS-804 autocannon.  Originally, neither the machinegun nor the pintle mount were to be used when the Pbv-302 is deployed for real-world missions. The turret has a small hatch which opens to the rear. Two clusters of three smoke grenade launchers are found on the upper glacis on either side of the vehicle, and two Lyran 71mm reloadable flare launchers are found on the rear of the turret.

     Hull armor is of steel; it is a bit on the thin side, and an appliqué armor kit was quickly devised as a result. The engine and transmission are combined in a unitary powerpack, something which was unusual at the time of its development.  The engine used is a Volvo-Penta THD-100B diesel with an output of an amazing 280 horsepower. The engine is coupled to a manual transmission which is also designed by Volvo.  The suspension uses conventional torsion bars with shock absorbers on the first and last set of roadwheels, so it may be surmised that the ride can be a bit rough sometimes. Tracks are wide and help the Pbv-302 stay mobile in snowy or swampy terrain.  The Pbv-302 is amphibious; preparation consists only of switching on bilge pumps and extending a trim vane, requiring only 4 minutes. The double-skinned nature of the lower hull above the tracks aids in floatation.

     In the 1990s, a modified form of the Pbv-302, designated the Pbv-302C, was introduced for use with the Swedish contingent to KFOR.  This version uses an upgraded form of the basic appliqué armor kit, makes the pintle-mounted machinegun on the turret standard, and uses a Volvo-Penta THD-100C 310-horsepower diesel to cope with the increased weight, along with a beefed-up suspension. Additional buoyancy aids are carried. The external machinegun mount on the turret, normally used only for training, is standard equipment on the Pbv-302C. An air conditioner was also added.

The Stripbv-3021 CPV

     This is the command post carrier version of the Pbv-302, analogous to the M-577 version of the M-113, though the Stripbv-3021 does not have a raised roof. The Stripbv-3021 normally carries one short-range, two medium-range, and two long-range radios, as well a map board and office and plotting supplies.  A ruggedized laptop computer is normally added these days as a part of its fit.  The interior is rearranged for its role as a command vehicle, but externally the vehicle looks the same (except for extra antennas) and it retains its armament.  The Stripbv-3021 carries a hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, and a laser rangefinder for use by the command crew.  As the Pbv-3021 is a little heavier and the center of gravity is different, it has additional buoyancy aids. These vehicles have largely been phased out in favor of the Stripbv-90.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Pbv-302 and its variants are still in wide use in the Twilight War.

*This version has a hull floor AV of 4.