On July 20, 2022, the Czech government decided to cancel the long-running tender for infantry fighting vehicles for the Czech Army and authorized Czech Defense Minister Jan Chernokhova to begin negotiations with the Swedish government on the acquisition of CV90 Mk IV infantry fighting vehicles on a non-competitive and intergovernmental basis. The Czech Defense Minister also received a mandate to negotiate with the US government on the purchase of 24 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters for the Czech Air Force on an intergovernmental basis.
A prototype of a BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 Mk IV infantry fighting vehicle with a new D-type turret (in the D30 version with a Bushmaster II Mk 44S 30 mm cannon), which took part in tests in the Czech Land Forces tender, May 2021 (from) BAE Systems
Back in 2016, the Czech Ministry of Defense launched a project to purchase a promising BMP to replace the Czech army's existing fleet of licensed BMP-1 and BMP-2. In total, it was planned to purchase 210 infantry fighting vehicles and vehicles based on them in seven variants to fully equip them by the end of 2026 of the 7th mechanized Brigade of the Czech Army. The approximate cost of the purchase was estimated at 52 billion Czech crowns (about 2 billion euros), with the requirements of localization of production in the Czech Republic.
In December 2018, four final competitive samples were determined in the Czech tender: a new modification of the CV90 BMP, designated Mk IV, presented by the Swedish branch of BAE Systems Corporation (BAE Systems AB / Land Systems Hägglunds AB), presented by the German Rheinmetall group KF41 Lynx BMP, presented by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) The Puma BMP and the BMP presented by the European branch of General Dynamics Corporation (General Dynamics European Land Systems) on the ASCOD 2 platform. The Rome machine was soon withdrawn from the competition due to the presence of a completely uninhabited (and not inhabited or optionally inhabited) tower.
The Czech tender for the BMP was constantly delayed for various reasons and only in May-June 2021, comparative tests of the three remaining competing samples - CV90 Mk IV, KF41 Lynx and ASCOD 2 - were conducted in the Czech Republic at the Olomouc test site. As the Czech government has now reported, following the results of the tests, additional requirements were put forward, which two of the three applicants refused to accept (as you can understand - Rheinmetall and General Dynamics). As a result, it was decided to cancel the tender and non-competitive procurement on an intergovernmental basis in Sweden of the BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 Mk IV BMP with a new D-type turret - in execution under the symbol CV90CZ.
Czech sources admit that this decision was also influenced by the choice of the BAE Systems CV90 Mk IV BMP made on May 26 by the Slovak Ministry of Defense in a similar Slovak tender. Czech Defense Minister Yana Chernokhova bluntly stated that the purchase of the CV90 BMP by the Czech Republic "will be coordinated with Slovakia."
The Slovak Ministry of Defense plans to purchase 223 modern infantry fighting vehicles and vehicles based on them in nine variants to replace the BMP-1 and BMP-2 fleet. The Slovak tender was attended by the same BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 Mk IV with the same new D-type turret, Rheinmetall Lynx KF41 and General Dynamics ASCOD 2, as well as the new Polish Borsuk BMP, which so far exists in a single prototype (as a known outsider). The first three samples also passed comparative tests in Slovakia at the Zagorje test site.
On June 28, the Slovak government is scheduled to conclude a contract for the purchase of the selected CV90 Mk IV BMP for the Slovak army at the end of 2022. At the first stage, 152 vehicles are planned to be purchased from 2023 to 2028, including 110 linear infantry fighting vehicles, 15 command vehicles, 9 reconnaissance vehicles, 3 armored personnel carriers, 9 self-propelled 120 mm mortars, 3 engineering vehicles and 3 BRAM. The allocation of 42 billion Slovak crowns (1.668 billion euros) has been approved for this. The second stage involves the purchase of a total of 71 vehicles from 2029, including five linear infantry fighting vehicles, 9 armored personnel carriers, 10 BREMS, 9 engineering vehicles, 9 mine clearance vehicles, 9 mine clearance vehicles with extended charges and 20 self-propelled 120 mm mortars.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia will thus become the starting customers of the CV90 BMP in the Mk IV variant. This modification of the CV90 BMP was presented to BAE Systems in September 2017. The CV90 Mk IV is equipped with a new 1000 horsepower Scania DP16I diesel engine and an upgraded Perkins X300 transmission (according to some reports, the Allison 3040MX transmission will be installed in the Czech Republic version), the total combat weight of the vehicle has been increased from 35 tons to 37 tons. The equipment of the machine is made in accordance with the latest standard of the NATO NGVA electronic architecture, the basis of the equipment complex is the new information and control system iFighting developed by BAE Systems. The CV90 Mk IV BMP can be offered with various turrets and combat modules, and in Czech and Slovak tenders it was presented with a new habitable BAE Systems Hägglunds type D turret with a new fire control system, and for Slovakia - in two versions of the vehicle: CV9030 Mk IV (with a 30 mm Bushmaster II Mk 44S cannon) and CV9035 Mk IV (with 35 mm Bushmaster cannon). Previously, the Czech Republic and Slovakia chose the D30 variant with a 30 mm Bushmaster II Mk 44S cannon. The D-type turret is also equipped with Rafael Spike-LR ATGM launchers and the Elbit Systems Iron Fist active protection system. The Type D turret should also be installed on the upgraded CV9035NL Mk III infantry fighting vehicles of the Netherlands Army.
As for the decision of the Czech government to purchase 24 F-35A fighters, according to plans, these aircraft should enter service with the Czech Air Force after the expiration of the Czech lease of 14 Swedish Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen fighters in 2027.
A prototype of a BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 Mk IV infantry fighting vehicle with a new D-type turret (in the D30 version with a Bushmaster II Mk 44S 30 mm cannon), which took part in tests in the Czech Land Forces tender, May 2021 (from) BAE Systems
Comparative tests held at the training ground in Olomouc (Czech Republic) in the competition for a new BMP for the Czech Army samples of the BAE Systems CV90 Mk IV BMP with a D-type tower (in the foreground), Rheinmetall KF41 Lynx with a LANCE tower (in the middle) and General Dynamics ASCOD 2 with an Elbit Systems MT30 tower, May 2021 (with) Czech Ministry of Defense
