The first prototype of the CV90120 was completed in mid-1998 and was first shown at the Eurosatory 1998 international defence exhibition in Paris. However, the beginning of its development can be traced back to 1993 when Hägglunds entered into a partnership with the French GIAT (later Nexter and now KNDS-France) to develop the CV90105 TML, which incorporated the GIAT-built TML 105 turret (with a 105 mm gun) on the CV90 hull.
The CV90120 completed its static test firings towards the end of 1998 and the following two years (1999-2000) were followed by its mobile test firings. By the end of 2001, its development was completed but since then, the integration of new technologies that matured and became available, especially in electronics, has been continuous. The new version, which uses the hull of the most recent version of the Armored Combat Vehicle CV90 Mk. IV, is the culmination of this continuous evolutionary process, which from the beginning had as its objective: the development and commercialization of a medium battle tank with firepower equivalent to a modern main battle tank, high tactical – in “difficult” soft terrain – and strategic mobility and significantly lower cost.
From the beginning, the CV90120 was designed as a member of the CV90 family and therefore, the new version CV90120 Mk IV, which uses the hull of the CV90 Mk. IV, incorporates the evolution at all levels (mobility, protection, ergonomics, digital architecture, connectivity, tactical situational awareness, etc.) of the basic platform.
With a maximum weight of up to 38 tons, a power plant with a horsepower of up to 1,000 horsepower, its armament includes the high-pressure 120 mm L44A1 smoothbore cannon with an automatic loading system and a remotely controlled armament station with a 7.62 mm or alternatively 12.7 mm (0.50’’) machine gun. The Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (RWM)-made L44A1 gun with a barrel length of 44 calibers (5.28 meters) is an improved, low recoil (LR: Low Recoil) version of the familiar L44, as it equips the Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, which is designed for use by lighter armored vehicles.
It fires NATO standard ammunition of the caliber, kinetic and chemical energy, such as those manufactured by Rheinmetall DM63A1 / DM73 and DM11 respectively, while according to BSH it also has the ability to fire guided anti-tank missiles at a range of up to 10,000 meters (such as the LAHAT, manufactured by the Israeli IAI, which has been certified for firing from Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 tanks. The cannon’s ammunition is 24 missiles.
The CV90120 Mk IV has a standard three-member crew (driver, crew chief, gunner) and two additional folding positions for the same number of operators / scouts. The latter two, which essentially allow the crew to focus on its main function, undertake the handling / supervision of unmanned aerial vehicles and ground systems.
The CV90120 Mk IV is equipped with the Defensive Aid Suite (DAS). In its basic form, it includes laser, radar and incoming missile warning receivers as well as an Active Protection System (APS). It should be noted that last January, Elbit Systems announced the award of contracts by BSH worth $150 million for the IRON FIST active protection system for CV90s operated by various European countries.
It can also be equipped with:
- “Advanced sound detection and direction system”, which, working with an artificial intelligence system for the classification and prioritization of threats, allows for their immediate attack.
- Multispectral aerosol system (MSA: Multi-Spectral Aerosol), which, by forming an aerosol cloud, interferes with or deflects targeting systems (visible, infrared spectrum, laser) used by drones and guided munitions.
- jammer against wireless drone guidance (the system is being developed for installation in the CV90 TOMA).
The CV90120 uses elastic tracks, the research and development costs of which were borne by four countries – members of the CV90 user group, which now has 10 members. The tracks, using Continuous Steel Cord technology, in this case 18 steel cables with a diameter of 5 mm. running along their entire length “encased” in rubber, and their use offers many benefits.
Lower ground pressure, increased traction, minimized wear of the driving surface (road surface, soil), weight savings (1 ton on the CV90), noise reduction (makes it more difficult to locate the vehicle), vibration reduction with obvious benefits for the crew – on-board personnel as well as the vehicle’s electronic systems (vectronics), and reduced maintenance requirements. Based on data from use to date, the CV90s present a reduced life cycle cost (LCC) by 20%.
The commercial prospects
Today, almost 30 years after the first prototype appeared, the CV90120 has a substantial commercial prospect. In August 2024, Brazil issued a combined Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the initial procurement of 65 medium tanks armed with a 105 or 120 mm gun under the VBC CC (Viatura Blindada de Combate Carro de Combate: Armored Combat Vehicle – Combat Vehicle) program and 78 medium-caliber turreted armored combat vehicles (MCVs) under the VBC Fuz (Viatura Blindada de Combate de Fuzileiros: Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle) program. According to information published in 2025, the issuance of a request for proposal (RFP) was placed around 2028.
In parallel, in February 2026, during the presentation ceremony of the first of 152 CV90 Mk. IV35 (with a 35 mm cannon) that the country purchased in 2022 for $ 1.37 billion (1.179 billion euros at the current exchange rate), it became known that Slovakia had submitted a request for information on the CV90120. The relevant article hosts statements by Robert Kalinak, Minister of Defense of Slovakia, according to which cooperation with BSH on the CV90120 is being considered based on the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and its suitability for the hilly terrain of eastern Slovakia. Kalinak also clarified that any CV90120 supply would not replace the T-72M1 and Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks that the Central European country has in service, but would complement its tank potential.
Richard Simpkin’s belated vindication?
The development of the CV90120 as a version of the basic CV90 platform, due to a high degree of homology, has beneficial results for the user, in terms of support, maintenance and training. As a design, it is also a bet on the commercial viability of the light / medium battle tank or, to be precise, a direct fire platform. To date, no similar vehicle has survived commercially, with the most recent “victim”, the similar weight but with a 105 mm caliber gun. M10 Booker, which in 2025 was canceled as a program by the US Army.
However, the findings from the Ukraine war, combined with the ever-increasing cost (from 25 to 30 million euros depending on the equipment) and weight (over 65 tons) of main battle tanks, may open a window of opportunity for a direct-fire platform, with equivalent firepower, higher tactical and strategic mobility and significantly lower procurement costs and overall Life Cycle Costs, which will justify BSH’s many years of persistence in the continuous development of the CV90120.
At the same time, the CV90120 could also be seen as a belated, partial, vindication of the concept of “restorability” that the British military analyst and theorist of modern warfare, Brigadier General Richard E. Simpkin, had developed in his book “Human Factors in Mechanized Warfare”.
In direct relation to the concept of “restorability”, Simpkin explored the idea (“pod concept”) of a family of combat vehicles with a modular architecture. By using a common chassis and a pod that houses the crew and the power package and by combining interchangeable mission pods, direct & indirect fire versions, ACV, etc. are created (the images are slides from a presentation made in 2013). It is easy to see that the approach, in addition to “repairability”, may also be a solution to the ever-increasing cost of platforms, as it makes it possible to produce series in large numbers to cover a wide range of needs.
