First Slovak-Configured CV90 MkIV Infantry Fighting Vehicles Enter Testing in Sweden.

The first Combat Vehicle 90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles for the Slovak Armed Forces entered testing at BAE Systems Hägglunds in Sweden on 27 January 2026. The milestone confirms that the programme has shifted from contract execution to validating Slovakia’s national vehicle configuration, a key step before deliveries begin.

The Slovak Armed Forces’ acquisition of the CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicle has reached a critical phase, with the first Slovak-configured vehicles now undergoing trials at BAE Systems Hägglunds’ facility in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. According to a report published on 27 January 2026 by the Slovak defense outlet FutureArmy.sk, the manufacturer confirmed that the vehicles have rolled off the production line and entered an intensive test campaign to validate Slovakia’s command, control, and communications architecture before operational fielding.
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The Slovak configuration is centred on the CV9035 MkIV, a variant armed with a 35 mm Bushmaster III automatic cannon, paired with a modern fire-control system and a digital vehicle architecture designed for sensor and weapon integration (Picture source: BAE Systems Hägglunds)

Slovakia’s CV90 acquisition is rooted in the broader shift away from legacy Soviet-era tracked fleets and toward NATO-standard combat systems able to operate within multinational frameworks. The procurement was formalised in December 2022 through a government-to-government agreement between Sweden and the Slovak Republic, with the Slovak Ministry of Defence signing a €1.3 billion contract for the delivery of 152 vehicles in the CV90 MkIV family, in the CV9035 configuration. This order is not limited to infantry fighting vehicles alone, as the programme is designed to generate a complete mechanised fleet with multiple mission variants, while standardising training, logistics and long-term sustainment around a common platform.

Industrial participation is a central pillar of the Slovak deal. More than 30 Slovak companies are involved, accounting for over 40% of the contract value, which places the programme as much in the realm of defence industrial policy as it is in pure capability acquisition. In practice, this approach supports domestic supply chains, creates local maintenance capacity, and reduces dependence on external providers for through-life support. It also opens the door for Slovak firms to remain involved beyond the initial production run, particularly as the MkIV architecture is designed to accept iterative upgrades rather than fixed, one-off modernisation packages.

While the vehicles are currently tested in Sweden, the schedule points toward the first deliveries to Slovakia during 2026. The programme had already reached a tangible stage in the second half of 2025, when the first Slovak CV90s rolled off the production line, and the current trials are a continuation of that industrial output. This sequencing is consistent with other MkIV customers in the region: the Czech Republic saw its first CV90 MkIV unveiled in Sweden in 2025, while deliveries to Czech territory are expected to unfold during 2026 as well. For Bratislava, the timing matters because it aligns the platform’s arrival with a period of sustained operational pressure on NATO’s eastern flank, and with ongoing efforts to strengthen national readiness.

The Slovak configuration is centred on the CV9035 MkIV, a variant armed with a 35 mm Bushmaster III automatic cannon, paired with a modern fire-control system and a digital vehicle architecture designed for sensor and weapon integration. In the Slovak case, the platform is also set to receive the Iron Fist active protection system (APS), reflecting the growing emphasis across Europe on survivability against anti-tank guided missiles and loitering munitions. Compared with earlier generations, the MkIV standard introduces improved ballistic and mine protection and a flexible electronic backbone that supports rapid upgrades without redesigning the entire vehicle.

The CV90 MkIV is built around a mobility and payload upgrade that supports heavier protection packages and future growth. The MkIV powerpack is rated up to 1,000 horsepower and is paired with an upgraded X300 heavy-duty transmission, enabling the vehicle to retain high tactical mobility despite a gross vehicle weight approaching the 37-ton class. The platform’s suspension and tracked layout remain optimised for cross-country movement in wooded and mixed terrain, which is particularly relevant for Central Europe, where manoeuvre corridors frequently combine soft ground, river lines, and dense infrastructure constraints.

The MkIV also reflects the broader shift toward open, network-ready combat vehicles. It is designed according to NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture (NGVA), allowing multiple electronic subsystems to be managed through multifunction crew displays and enabling smoother integration of new sensors, radios, and battlefield applications. In practical terms, this supports faster insertion of updated situational awareness suites, electronic warfare warning systems, or improved target acquisition sensors, while also reducing the burden of bespoke wiring and proprietary interfaces that traditionally slow down mid-life upgrades.

Crew protection and infantry integration remain core design priorities. The CV90 MkIV typically operates with a three-person crew and can carry up to eight dismounts, with anti-blast seating and a rear ramp supporting rapid debussing under fire. The integration of Iron Fist adds a further layer of survivability through hard-kill interception of incoming threats, supported by radar-based detection and rapid response. This is increasingly decisive in a European threat environment where anti-armor systems, including top-attack munitions, have proven lethal even against well-protected tracked vehicles.

The CV9035 MkIV offers Slovakia a platform suited to both high-intensity combined arms warfare and expeditionary reassurance missions. The 35 mm cannon provides the ability to defeat light armor, suppress infantry positions, and engage battlefield targets at extended standoff distances, while the vehicle’s protection suite supports operations in contested environments where artillery fragmentation, mines, and guided munitions remain persistent hazards. Combined with modern command-and-control connectivity, the CV90 becomes more than a troop carrier: it is a manoeuvre node capable of sharing sensor feeds, coordinating fires, and sustaining tempo during fast-moving engagements. This matters for Slovak mechanised brigades expected to operate alongside NATO partners, where interoperability is measured as much in data exchange and shared situational awareness as in ammunition calibre.

The Slovak CV90 programme underlines a structural trend in European defence: a steady reconstitution of land warfare capacity after decades of underinvestment, driven by the deterioration of the security environment since 2014 and further accelerated by the war in Ukraine. By adopting a modern Western tracked IFV and anchoring its acquisition in industrial cooperation with Sweden, Slovakia strengthens its ability to contribute credible mechanised forces to NATO’s deterrence posture while deepening defence-industrial ties inside Europe. The programme also reinforces regional convergence, as neighbouring armed forces field compatible platforms and increasingly coordinate procurement, sustainment, and training. In an era where alliance cohesion depends on practical readiness, the arrival of Slovak CV9035 MkIVs will be watched not only as a national modernisation milestone, but as another step in NATO’s effort to sustain credible conventional deterrence on its eastern flank.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.