KNDS has handed over the first modernised Stridsvagn 123A to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). The delivery marks the start of the comprehensive renovation and modernisation programme REMO, which covers all 110 Swedish Leopard 2 tanks and is scheduled for completion by 2030.
In a press release from KNDS, the company states that the modernisation includes increased combat capability, improved protection, digitalisation, and a logistical support package.
"For decades we have maintained a close, friendly, and trusted partnership with Sweden, which is also reflected in this project. Sweden has made a significant contribution to the Stridsvagn 123A tank system and has driven the development of the Leopard 2 for nearly 30 years," said Florian Hohenwarter, Chief Executive Officer of KNDS Deutschland, at the handover ceremony in Munich (Germany).
According to KNDS, the Stridsvagn 123A is equipped with, among other things, the new L55 A1 gun, which is intended to provide increased range and firepower. The tank also receives fully digitalised crew workstations and improved capabilities for information exchange with other systems.
KNDS describes the Stridsvagn 123A as fully interoperable with other Leopard 2 variants operated by other nations.
"If you compare the Stridsvagn 122 with a Volvo 240 in terms of technology and function, you could say that with this modification we are building a Volvo XC60," said Niclas Lindberg, Section Head of the Tank Section at FMV, in a press release from the agency.
According to FMV, the upgrade includes, among other things, a new weapons system with a longer gun barrel, new sensors and cameras, digital subsystems, and the ability to use new types of ammunition. The level of protection is also raised, including improved protection for the driver in the event of mine explosions, and the vehicles are fitted with an auxiliary power unit (APU) that allows certain functions to operate without the main engine running. FMV also states that the first vehicles are to be zeroed in during the autumn before training of Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) personnel takes place.
The modernisation is part of the Swedish Army's broader investment in mechanised forces. As Nordic Defence Sector previously reported, Sweden ordered a total of 154 modern tanks in 2025 by combining the upgrade of 110 Stridsvagn 122 vehicles to the Stridsvagn 123A standard with the procurement of 44 newly produced Leopard 2 A8 tanks, which in Sweden will be designated Stridsvagn 123B.
In the earlier order, the Swedish Ministry of Defence stated that the modernised Stridsvagn 123A vehicles would be delivered between 2027 and 2030. KNDS now announces that the first vehicle has already been handed over to FMV and that the Swedish Army plans to begin training on the system during autumn 2026.