DEFEA 2025: Could the Swedish CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicle be the future of Greek mechanized infantry?.

At the Defence Exhibition Athens (DEFEA) 2025, held from May 6 to 8 at the Metropolitan Expo, BAE Systems presented a variety of defense solutions across land, sea, and air domains. Among the platforms showcased was the CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), reflecting BAE Systems' ongoing collaboration with Greece and its allies to enhance defensive capabilities. The presence of the CV90 at this event is relevant to Greece's broader military modernization efforts, particularly as the country seeks to update its armoured vehicle fleet.
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The CV90 MkIV is the first Western IFV to incorporate a qualified Active Protection System (APS), the Iron Fist APS, which provides 360-degree coverage by detecting and neutralizing incoming threats using radar and infrared sensors. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90), designed in Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s by Hägglunds and Bofors, and currently produced by BAE Systems Hägglunds, is a family of tracked armored combat vehicles. The CV90 entered service in 1994 with Sweden and has undergone multiple evolutions, from Mk 0 to Mk IV, addressing varying requirements for mobility, survivability, lethality, and digital integration. As of 2025, 1,300 vehicles have been sold, covering 17 variants, with operational use in ten countries, including seven NATO member states. The platform has been deployed in Liberia, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. It has accumulated approximately 70,000 combat days and over eight million hours of research and development.

Greece is currently pursuing a comprehensive modernization of its armed forces, with a planned investment of €25 billion over the next decade. This modernization focuses on the integration of advanced technologies, such as mobile AI-powered missile systems, drones, and secure satellite communications. The aim is to reduce redundancies, streamline command structures, and enhance the operational capabilities of the military. The modernization also includes transitioning to more advanced armored vehicles to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare. As part of this effort, Greece is looking to replace older models of Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) with more capable and versatile platforms, and the CV90 MkIV could indeed meet this demand.

The CV90 MkIV is equipped with a 1,000-horsepower Scania diesel engine and an upgraded X300 automatic transmission. These features provide the vehicle with enhanced mobility and a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 38 tonnes, allowing for additional payload capacity without sacrificing agility. The vehicle's modular design supports various configurations, including infantry fighting, reconnaissance, command and control, and anti-aircraft roles. This flexibility allows the CV90 MkIV to address a wide range of operational needs, which is a key requirement for Greece as it modernizes its armed forces.

The CV90 MkIV includes several advanced protection systems designed to enhance survivability. It is the first Western IFV to incorporate a qualified Active Protection System (APS), the Iron Fist APS, which provides 360-degree coverage by detecting and neutralizing incoming threats using radar and infrared sensors. The vehicle can also be fitted with ADAPTIV multispectral camouflage, a system that uses hexagonal infrared-emitting tiles to help the vehicle blend into its environment or mimic other objects, improving its stealth capabilities. These protection systems provide a higher level of survivability compared to older vehicles in Greece’s current fleet, which lack such advanced countermeasures.

In addition to its protection features, the CV90 MkIV’s electronic architecture supports full C4ISTAR functionality, in compliance with NATO’s Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) standards. This allows for the integration of both current and future communication and sensor systems, ensuring that the vehicle can adapt to future technological developments. The vehicle also features BattleView 360, a system that offers enhanced situational awareness by providing commanders with a 360-degree view of the battlefield, helping them make informed decisions quickly. These advanced systems are important for Greece’s modernization plan, which seeks to improve operational effectiveness in complex environments.

Industrial cooperation is a core element of the CV90 export model. BAE Systems Hägglunds has implemented localized production and technology transfer in multiple countries, including Norway, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Completed industrial cooperation obligations include €970 million in the Netherlands, €240 million in Denmark, €170 million in Finland, €470 million in Switzerland, and €170 million in Norway. BAE Systems reports 100% on-time or ahead-of-schedule fulfillment, with zero legal disputes and no delayed deliveries.

In 2022, Slovakia signed a €1.3 billion government-to-government agreement with Sweden for the delivery of 152 CV90 MkIV vehicles, including 122 IFVs with D-series turrets armed with 35mm autocannons, Spike LR missiles, and Iron Fist APS. Additional variants include command, engineering, recovery, and IFVs tailored for anti-materiel rifle and grenade launcher squads. The overall program cost, including VAT, infrastructure upgrades, and training systems, totals €1.688 billion. A second phase will add 71 vehicles between 2027 and 2030. The program includes local industrial cooperation with companies such as ZTS – ŠPECIÁL.

Other procurement programs involving the CV90 include Norway’s 164-vehicle fleet, upgraded with new variants and turrets; Sweden’s order of 40 CV90 Mjölner 120mm mortar systems in 2016 with additional batches in 2022 and 2023; Denmark’s purchase of 45 CV9035s; Estonia’s acquisition of 79 CV90s from Norway and the Netherlands; Finland’s fleet of 102 CV9030FINs; and the Netherlands’ mid-life upgrade of 128 CV9035NLs. In August 2023, Sweden and Ukraine announced a CV90 production agreement, with production facilities to be set up in Ukraine. In June 2024, it was reported that the Netherlands will manufacture 180 new CV90s.

The CV90 program has also produced domestic variants for Sweden, including strf 9040 (A, B, B1, and C), command, observation, anti-aircraft, recovery, engineering, and mortar configurations. Sweden is currently developing next-generation variants such as the strf 9035 MkIIIC, equipped with a 35mm Bushmaster III, FN MAG, and RBS 58 (Akeron MP). Other developments include repair and pioneer vehicles in collaboration with Norwegian firm Rytek A/S. Planned enhancements include integration of hybrid-electric propulsion, advanced BLOS missile systems, improved signature management, and UAV operation.