The Czech Army is being offered a locally-produced CV-90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) as confirmed to armadainterinational.com by a BAE Systems spokesperson.
These new vehicles could replace the force’s existing Kurganmashzavod BMP-2 family tracked amphibious IFVs. Should the acquisition proceed, the Czech Army would become the ninth army to employ the CV-90. Two Czech versions as the designated CV-90CZ were displayed by BAE Systems and its local partner VOP CZ on 31st May at the at the International Fair of Defence and Security Technology held in the south-eastern Czech city of Brno.
One vehicle had a traditional manned turret with an Orbital Mk.44 30mm autocannon while the second had a Kongsberg MCT-30 remote-controlled turret. The army has articulated its desire to replace its BMP-2s from 2020. Currently the Army has around 170 BMP-2s in service buy it has also recently acquired General Dynamics Pandur six-wheel drive armoured vehicles with a 30mm weapon and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Spike infrared guided anti-tank guided missile. These moves reflect the county’s commitment to a larger defence budget which grew by ten percent in 2017.
