Swedish tank Strf 9040c provides unmatched firepower in Ukraine

Ukrainians continue operating in the Kursk region, using equipment received from Western countries. One of the most interesting vehicles is the Swedish infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) Strf 9040C / CV90. Here is what it can do.

In the Kursk region, one of the Strf 9040C / CV90 IFVs donated to Ukraine by Sweden has been spotted. It is the IFV with the greatest firepower used in Ukraine, which causes panic among Russians. According to Ukrainians, the mere presence of the Swedish vehicle can make even the ever-decreasing number of T-90M tanks come out of hiding.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) received the Stridsfordon 9040C IFV from Sweden. It is currently the latest Swedish variant of the Stridsfordon 90 IFV, also known as CV90, which was put into service in the 1990s.

CV90s are heavy, tracked combat vehicles, with an empty weight, after adding additional armour, reaching even 84,000 pounds, or almost as much as tanks from the T-72 family (slightly over 88,000 pounds). The front armour of the Strf 9040C / CV90, even in the base version, can withstand fire from 30 mm calibre cannons, and with the addition of an extra armour package, even more.

Moreover, the extra armour package provides protection from 30 mm calibre cannons even from the side, which is rare for infantry fighting vehicles. In addition, there is good protection against handheld anti-tank weapons and single warhead bomblets, often used on FPV-type drones. The crew consists of three soldiers, and up to seven additional infantry soldiers can be carried.

The second advantage of the Strf 9040C / CV90 is its armament, which includes a 40 mm automatic cannon. Though indirectly derived from the World War II-era Bofors (hence, it is loaded from interchangeable magazines), this cannon is still very dangerous due to its calibre and the ammunition used.

In the case of APFSDS-T armour-piercing ammunition, the cannon can easily penetrate over 4 inches of armoured steel from 1 mile away. This allows it to engage Russian BMP-1/2/3 from a very long distance with impunity, and even tanks under favourable conditions.

The second type is programmable 3P ammunition from BAE Systems, containing 1,100 tungsten pellets. Its operation involves programming the projectile’s fuse to explode at a specified distance in a particular manner, creating a shower of 2,500 fragments that can easily penetrate helmets or soft body armour.

There are six available operating modes, tailored for explosions such as after penetration of a wall or entry through a window, detonation over a trench, or creating a wall of fragments useful for hitting helicopters.

Interestingly, Ukrainians have also learned to use this 40 mm automatic cannon as artillery with a range of up to 4 miles, based, for instance, on targeting data from a drone. This allows them to, for example, shell Russians from behind a tree line or hill.

This is complemented by an advanced fire control system with thermal imaging and multispectral camouflage visible on the vehicles, which not only breaks up the vehicle’s silhouette but also reduces its thermal and radar signature.

As a result, a very balanced vehicle has been created, providing excellent protection for the crew and enormous firepower, lacking basically only a "fire and forget" type anti-tank missile launcher. This last aspect is being addressed in Sweden or Denmark through integration with the Akeron MP anti-tank missile system.