On June 7, 2024, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced that it would contribute 400 million euros to the joint fund of Denmark and Sweden to finance the production and purchase of new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles for Ukraine developed by the Swedish branch of BAE Systems Corporation (BAE Systems Hägglunds), while these vehicles will mainly be assembled in the Netherlands.
The first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle upgraded for the Dutch Army by BAE Systems Hägglunds CV9035NL Mk III MLU at the Dutch company Van Halteren Technologies in Bunshoten-Spackenburg, 06/04/2024 (c) Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands
As Defense News reports in more detail in Rudy Ruitenberg's article " Netherlands to supply first Dutch-built CV90 IFVs to Ukraine in 2026" ("The Netherlands will supply Ukraine with the first Dutch-made CV90 IFVs in 2026"), with reference to a representative of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, this amount of 400 million euros "is a share of the Netherlands" and will be used to pay for "several dozen" cars.
Recall that in December 2023, Denmark and Sweden put forward a project for the joint purchase of 25 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles of new production for Ukraine. Sweden allocates 1.3 billion Swedish kronor (115 million euros) for the implementation of this joint initiative, and Denmark has committed to provide 1.8 billion Danish kronor (241 million euros) - that is, a total of 356 million euros. On May 21, 2024, the Swedish defense procurement agency Försvarets materielverk (FMV) signed a contract with the Swedish branch of BAE Systems (BAE Systems Hägglunds) for the purchase of an unnamed number of infantry fighting vehicles of the new CV9035 Mk IIIC modification for the armed forces of Sweden and Ukraine. The number of purchased vehicles and the cost of the contract are not disclosed, however, apparently, the mentioned 25 IFVs were ordered for Ukraine on a joint initiative.
It is also reported that Denmark is also in the final stage of negotiations with BAE Systems regarding the acquisition of another 115 CV90 series infantry fighting vehicles for the Danish army - apparently, all in the same version of the CV9035 Mk IIIC. The cost of the contract for the purchase of 115 CV90 BMP by Denmark is estimated at 7.5 billion Danish crowns (1 billion euros).
Now, according to Defense News, the Dutch government has also agreed with Sweden to create a CV90 BMP production line in the Netherlands and expects that at least 180 vehicles will be assembled there under the mentioned contracts of Sweden, Denmark and Ukraine. At the same time, the first IFVs will be delivered to Ukraine in 2026. It is reported that the total volume of these contracts will amount to 230 machines (as you can understand, 115 for Denmark, and, apparently, 55-60 for Sweden and Ukraine), of which, apparently, the first 50 will be manufactured by BAE Systems Hägglunds at its Swedish plant in Ernsheldsvik.
According to a representative of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, negotiations are continuing so that the Dutch company Van Halteren Technologies as the lead contractor and a "whole chain" of Dutch suppliers can take over an "important part" of production. Dutch Secretary of State for Defense Christoph van der Maat said on June 7 that Van Halteren would play an "important role" in supplying dozens of new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Sweden and possibly Denmark, which purchase vehicles of the same upgraded standard as the Netherlands. According to Van der Maat, the Dutch Ministry of Defense, together with the Ministry of Economy and Van Halteren, is exploring possibilities for further expansion of the Dutch CV90 production line. "We want to really help the Dutch know-how meet the growing demand for CV90 infantry fighting vehicles in Europe," Van der Maat said.
Van Halteren Technologies is currently the Dutch contractor for the January 2021 contract issued by the Dutch Ministry of Defense to BAE Systems Hägglunds for the modernization of 122 CV9035NL Mk III infantry fighting vehicles of the Dutch Army. Van Halteren, at its plant in Bunshoten-Spackenburg, is directly working on the overhaul and modernization of these machines, as well as on the manufacture of new type D towers with enhanced protection and a new fire control system for them. The first mass-produced upgraded infantry fighting vehicle CV9035NL Mk III MLU was transferred to Van Halteren to the Dutch army on June 4, 2024, the completion of modernization work is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. It is reported that the new CV9035 Mk IIIC infantry fighting vehicles for Sweden, Ukraine, and, apparently, Denmark, will roughly match these upgraded vehicles in appearance.
