The Danish procurement organisation Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse (FMI) announced on the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily procurement portal on 22 August 2024 that 115 CV9035 MkIIIC infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) will be procured for the Danish armed forces.
A corresponding agreement was reached with the manufacturer BAE Systems. The vehicles, worth DKK 9.975 billion (EUR 1.3 billion), are to be delivered over a period of five years.
Denmark intends to use the procurement to supplement the 44 CV9035s that have been in service since 2008 and to build up a heavy brigade. The IFVs ordered are sufficient to equip more than two armoured infantry battalions. In its current structure the Royal Danish Army has two combat brigades with three armoured infantry battalions and one tank battalion. The latter is equipped with 44 Leopard 2 A7DK main battle tanks.
The CV90 IFV, built by BAE Systems’ Swedish subsidiary Hägglunds, has been in service since 1993. Depending on the version, it weighs around 30 tonnes and is powered by a diesel engine offering up to 600 kW. Adapted versions have been built for each of the eight user countries to date. The Danish version is equipped with a 35 mm Bushmaster III cannon.
The Royal Danish Army’s existing 44 CV9035s will undergo a mid-life update (MLU) in accordance with a contract signed with Hägglunds in March of this year. According to the FMI, the IFVs will receive a new turret with so-called hunter-killer capabilities, increased firepower, improved protection and new sensors, while the ergonomics for the crew will be significantly improved. In addition, the tanks will be fitted with composite rubber tracks instead of metal tracks, which will both lighten the vehicle and reduce its noise and vibration levels. The MLU will follow on from the corresponding measures instigated for the Netherlands’ CV90s from 2025 and should be completed by 2029.
