The first modified Stridsvagn 123A has arrived in Sweden. It was received by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in Skövde following overhaul and modification at KNDS’s factory in Munich.
According to FMV, Niclas Lindberg, head of the agency’s tank section, said the vehicle will now undergo verification. He added that further deliveries will follow, along with training for Swedish Armed Forces personnel and the continued build-up of other parts of the system. These include ammunition, simulators and maintenance.
Stridsvagn 123A represents the most extensive modification of Stridsvagn 122 since it entered service in the late 1990s. Upgrades include improved protection, new sensors, an upgraded weapon system and digital subsystems intended to increase capability and interoperability with NATO Allies, according to FMV.
The first vehicle will initially be used to train instructors and inspection technicians, who will subsequently train the Swedish Armed Forces’ tank crews. FMV reports that by 2031, all 110 of the Armed Forces’ Stridsvagn 122 tanks are to be overhauled and modified in Germany under a contract between FMV and KNDS, after which they will be designated Stridsvagn 123A.
The system handover from FMV to the Swedish Armed Forces is planned for later this year.