Strv 123A is the Swedish Army’s comprehensively modernized Stridsvagn 122 main battle tank and the latest Swedish development within the Leopard 2 family. Created through the REMO (Renovation Modernization) program by Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), the Swedish Armed Forces and KNDS Deutschland, the upgrade converts all 110 remaining Swedish Strv 122 tanks into a substantially more capable configuration with a Rheinmetall 120 mm L55A1 high-pressure smoothbore gun, digital fire-control system, new thermal and night-vision sensors, fully digital crew workstations, increased connectivity, enhanced protection, revised running gear and tracks, and an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). KNDS delivered the first completed Strv 123A to FMV on 22 June 2026 and describes the type as the Leopard 2 SWE; the modernization program is intended to give Sweden a highly interoperable NATO-standard main battle tank for high-intensity mechanized operations.
Country users : Sweden
Technical Data
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Armament
Strv 123A is armed with the Rheinmetall 120 mm L55A1 high-pressure smoothbore cannon, replacing the Strv 122’s 120 mm L44 weapon and providing increased ballistic performance, engagement potential and compatibility with newer 120 × 570 mm NATO ammunition. Rheinmetall specifies a 6,600 mm barrel length, approximately 1,350 kg barrel weight and approximately 3,360 kg weapon weight without protection for the L55/L55A1 system. The L55A1 is compatible with high-performance kinetic-energy ammunition such as Rheinmetall DM73 and can incorporate the programming kit required for programmable DM11-class ammunition; these are weapon-system capabilities and should not be interpreted as confirmation that Sweden has procured those exact rounds. FMV confirms that the combination of the new weapon and digital fire-control system permits employment of new ammunition types. Secondary armament is expected to retain the established Strv 122 configuration of 7.62 mm machine guns, including coaxial and turret-mounted weapons, together with smoke-grenade launchers; no official source has announced a replacement secondary-armament configuration for Strv 123A.
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Design and protection
Strv 123A retains the Leopard 2/Strv 122 conventional four-person arrangement with the driver in the forward hull and commander, gunner and loader in the turret, but the vehicle is extensively rebuilt internally during REMO. The Strv 122 was already configured with strengthened Swedish protection compared with earlier Leopard 2 variants, and FMV confirms that the Strv 123A receives a further increase in protection level. Mine-survivability improvements include a suspended driver harness designed to reduce the transmission of blast forces from the hull floor. The running gear and tracks have also been replaced to support the higher vehicle weight resulting from modernization. Exact armor composition, thickness, protection arcs and ballistic-equivalent figures remain classified and have not been released by FMV, KNDS or the Swedish Armed Forces. No active protection system has been officially confirmed for the Strv 123A configuration as of September 2026.
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Mobility
Strv 123A receives a new running gear and track configuration designed to accommodate its increased combat weight while maintaining the mobility expected of the Leopard 2 family. Neither FMV nor KNDS has publicly announced a replacement for the Strv 122’s established MTU MB 873 Ka-501 V12 turbocharged diesel powerpack, rated at approximately 1,500 hp / 1,100 kW, and no Strv 123A-specific engine change has therefore been officially confirmed. An APU supplies electrical power while the main engine is shut down, reducing fuel consumption and lowering acoustic and thermal signatures during observation and stationary operations. Official Strv 123A-specific maximum speed and range figures have not yet been released; for technical reference, KNDS lists the contemporary Leopard 2A7V at up to 70 km/h and 450 km range, but these values should be treated as Leopard 2-family reference figures rather than certified Strv 123A performance data.
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Combat Equipment
Strv 123A incorporates a substantially modernized digital combat architecture comprising a new digital fire-control system, new thermal and night-vision sights for the commander and gunner, modern cameras, a night-driving camera for the driver, fully digital crew workstations, ammunition-programming capability and significantly enhanced connectivity. KNDS states that the tank is fully interoperable with Leopard 2 systems, while FMV says obsolete equipment and unnecessary Swedish-unique subsystems are being removed where appropriate to increase interoperability with NATO allies. The APU permits sensors, observation equipment, communications and other electrical systems to remain operational without running the main engine, improving silent-watch capability and reducing fuel consumption, noise and thermal signature. Exact models of several sights, communications devices and electronic subsystems remain undisclosed.
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