Denmark Agrees €1.3bn Deal To Acquire Armoured Combat Vehicles

BAE Systems Hägglunds AB has won a contract to supply Denmark with 115 more of its CV90 combat vehicles.

The Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90) is a series of Swedish tracked armoured combat vehicles originally designed by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), Hägglund & Söner and Bofors across the 1980s and 1990s. Since the mid-2000s the CV90 has been produced by the Swedish arm of defence giant BAE Systems.

The new five-year deal, confirmed recently on the TED procurement portal of the European Union, identifies the variant being purchased as the CV9035 Mk IIIC. The total value is put at DKK 9.975 billion, or about €1.35 billion. It stated the contract was not put out to tender because "the contract can be provided only by a particular... operator."

It further explained that BAE Systems Hägglunds AB was the only firm that could meet "the Armed Forces' operational need for... interoperability with the current fleet of infantry fighting vehicles, as well as requirements for interoperability and interchangeability with international partners."

Developed specifically for cold climates, the CV90 is highly manoeuvrable in snow and on wet ground; it can carry 6-8 fully equipped soldiers. Other variants are equipped for observation, command and control, and anti-aircraft roles, among others.

The CV9035 Mk IIIC version is an evolution of the Mk II, with its weapon system replaced with a 35/50 mm Bushmaster III cannon, digital system upgrades, and uprated suspension and engine power.

At present there are 17 variants and approximately 1,400 CV90 vehicles in service with ten user states. Denmark has operated a fleet of CV90 vehicles since the late 2000s.

You can read the full details of the procurement order on the EU TED portal