Stridsvagn 122 (Strv 122)

History

Stridsvagn 122 (or Strv 122) is the Swedish designation for the German Leopard 2A5 series main battle tanks in service with the Swedish army. The main differences between the Strv 122 it and its German counterparts are improvements in the armor protection system and the Fire Control System (FCS).

The frontal armor of both the turret and hull has been modified (approximately 3 tons more) to ensure better point ballistic defense, while the revised FCS contributes to the accuracy of mobile fire. Turret roof armor is also better protected.

French-designed smoke grenade dispensers (two rows of eight each) were also added to the sides of the turret, while Swedish radio equipment, a Raman-displacement Nd-YAG laser rangefinder, and a Modular Tank Command and Control System (TCCS) were integrated. ). The Leopard 2 itself first entered front-line service in 1979, culminating in a number of notable variants (2, 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, 2A4, 2A5, 2A6, 2A7+) and dedicated tanks, all based on proven and successful The base of the Leopard 2 chassis.

The Swedish government has implemented a plan to upgrade its armored forces, introducing a new foreign main battle tank in a budget-conscious move. The systems tested were the M1 Abrams in the US, the LeClerc in France, and the Leopard 2A5 in Germany - with the additions mentioned above, they were called the Leopard 2(S) or "modified S".

After painstaking testing, the Swedes chose the German Leopard 2 as the winner - a tank that demonstrated the battlefield capabilities the Swedish army needed while costing more than the other competitors.

The Leopard 2A5 became a significant addition to the Leopard 2 line, as it was the first variant with an improved, well-sloped front turret fairing that contained "spacer" armor designed to counter shaped projectiles . The turret is now fully powered under electrical control while reducing the overall weight. In 1998, the Bundeswehr took the lead in receiving the improved Leopard 2A5, finally opening up the procurement in time to like-minded countries. Sweden's purchase of the Leopard 2A5 spawned the local "Strv 122" designation, a version that retains much of the German model's looks and features - including its twin-turbo diesel engine (MTU MB-873 Ka-501 12-cylinder liquid engine) -cooled 1,500hp engine), 120mm smoothbore L55 main gun, torsion bar suspension, low profile design and seven twin tire wheels.

The car consists of four people: driver, tank commander, gunner and loader.

The Stridsvagn 122 has been further developed into the "Strv 122B" variant, which carries modular armor to counter relatively new battlefield threats emerging in the Afghanistan and Iraq theaters. These threats include mass exposure to various improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as well as the famous Soviet-era rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) widely used by insurgents and Taliban forces.

Despite the added armor of the Strv 122B variant, the overall combat weight proved negligible for the Swedish Army's battlefield needs.

Before the Strv 122, the Swedish Army used the production brand Leopard 2A4, ie "Strv 121". The Strv 122 officially replaced these Strv 121 brands, with approximately 120 Strv 122s in service starting in 1997. The first 20 systems are manufactured in Germany, the remaining batches are manufactured locally by Bofors Defense / Alvis Hagglunds under license in Sweden.

Delivery of all Strv 122s to the Swedish Army was completed in 2002.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

42 x 120 mm projectile.

4,750x7.62mm ammo.

16 x Smoke Grenade.

Changes