Introduction

The CV 90 family of vehicles was developed from the early 1980ies to replace older IFVs then in service with the Swedish Army. The Swedish Army ordered its first batch of CV9040 in 1991 and the vehicle was continuously improved during its production. The Swedish Variants are equipped with a 40mm gun and other countries field 30mm (CV 9030) and 35mm guns (CV9035). The vehicle has seen action with Norwegian and Danish troops in Afghanistan as well as in Liberia with the Swedish UN-contingent. Over 1000 vehicles have so far been delivered to 6 countries.

Tankograd has released two volumes on the Swedish Infantry Fighting Vehicle CV90 series. A review of the first one, covering the development of the vehicle, as well as its use with the Swedish Army can be found here. This second book covers its use by the five other nations that so far have acquired this vehicle for their respective armies.

Contents

The book has 64 pages in high gloss paper and 143 high quality, full color photos. All text and captions are in English and German. It begins with a short two page text and photo introduction on the development history of the vehicle for those who don’t possess the first volume. It then covers the five nations outside of Sweden that use the CV 90 with one chapter each, and points out the differences between the variants, either in the text or in the captions.

The first nation to which the CV90 was exported was Norway. In 1994, the country ordered 104 vehicles equipped with a 30mm gun (CV 9030N). In 2003 and 2004, 17 vehicles were upgraded with additional armor for use in Afghanistan. A two-page introductory text is followed by 10 pages of action and some detail photos. The Norwegian particularities are pointed out in the captions.

The second export nation for the CV 90 was Switzerland, ordering 186 vehicles in 1999 and designating them Schützenpanzer 2000. These vehicles are also equipped with a 30mm gun (Bushmaster II), and have several differences not noticeable at first glance, such as a 200mm longer body, 100mm higher rear, M113-style ramp for the infantry, plus specific Swiss equipment. The CV 9030CH is also known as CV 9030 Mk II, and features several improvements over the earlier production CV 90, including a stronger engine. A two page text covers technical details and the vehicle’s usage in Switzerland, and is followed by eight pages of photos, two of which are a walk-around with details.

In 2000, the Finnish Army ordered 57 vehicles, and became the 3rd export country. A second batch of 45 vehicles was ordered in 2004. The CV 9030FIN is a variant of the base CV 9030 Mk II, but again has some different details than the other variants, though they are closer to the Swedish and Norwegian versions (for example, they have the same infantry doors). The two page text is followed by five pages of photos. Even though there are no detail shots, the differences to other variants are easily recognisable as the photos are very clear and the vehicles very clean.

The 4th export country was Denmark, ordering 45 CV 3035DK in 2005. This model is considered a new generation of the CV 90, therefore designated CV 9035 Mk III. Among other things, it features new armament (35mm Bushmaster III), fire control systems, a more-powerful engine, and additional MEXAS armor. Like the Swiss version, it also features a ramp for infantry. The 2 ½ pages of text are followed by 13 ½ pages of photos, 7 of which are detailed in walk-around fashion; one page covers the vehicles used in Afghanistan since 2010, a completely different looking vehicle with spaced bar armor.

The last country to adopt the CV 90 is the Netherlands, ordering 184 vehicles in 2004. The CV 9035NL is a variant of the Mk III, and features several modifications for Dutch requirements. The main exterior difference to the Danish version is the different roof and side armor by RUAG Land Systems, as well as the large stowage bins on the turret sides. Again, this variant looks completely different. Two pages of text are followed by 11 pages of photos, many of which are detailed walk-arounds.

Conclusion

This is a very comprehensive volume on all the different variants used by the five nations who have purchased this vehicle. Unfortunately it will not be easy to build a model of any of them, as they all have rather large differences to the original Swedish version available in plastic from Academy and announced by Hobby Boss. Both books are certainly useful for scratch conversions, and will be even more appealing once these different versions are released by the kit manufacturers.

Aside from that, this volume is also highly recommended for those interested in modern military technology, as it points out all the technical details and differences. All of the photos are very good quality, and the English text has no major translation flaws. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in the CV 90 family of vehicles.

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