Ukraine is getting a next generation vehicle that could be the best in the war

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have received a lot of powerful equipment from its allies in the West since Moscow invaded Ukraine. One of the newest weapons that may soon be on the battlefield is an advanced infantry fighting vehicle. 

Sweden and Denmark have announced plans to jointly produce 35 CV9035NL Mid-Life Update infantry fighting vehicles for Ukraine. Defense News reported that Denmark will pay for the vehicles while Sweden will build them for Kyiv. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Ministerie van Defensie, CC0

The CV9035NL is the same version of the vehicle that was acquired by the Netherlands and it weighs in at an impressive 37 tons. The modern infantry fighting vehicle can carry eleven soldiers into battle and offers a lot of big advantages. 

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Forbes reported that the CV9035NL is the only infantry fighting vehicle Ukraine will have in its arsenal that can offer its commander stabilized thermal vision, an important feature when it comes to night fighting. But that isn’t the vehicle’s only perk. 

The commander's sight also features a third-generation thermal vision system equipped with a laser rangefinder. The rangefinder can locate a target upwards of six miles away and the infantry vehicle gunner also gets the same system. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By U.S. Army

“This means both the commander and gunner independently can search for targets, day or night, and with high resolution,” David Axe of Forbes explained about the advantages of the commander and gunner having the same system. 

Another important feature of the CV9035NL has to do with crew survivability. There is a warning system equipped with the vehicle that will alert the crew when they are targeted with laser rangefinders or by laser-guided munitions. 

This early warning system should allow crews of the infantry fighting vehicle to lay down smoke and use suppressing fire to evade their enemies in battle. However, that isn’t the only system the CV9035NL employs to protect its crew. 

The CV9035NL is manufactured by BAE Systems, and in the company's original design for the infantry fighting vehicle, it added an active protection system known as Iron Fist, which its manufacturer called a “game-changing” system. 

“Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS) delivers high-performance protection against anti-tank threats while increasing the survivability of the platform or vehicle,” wrote Elbit Systems about its Iron First system on its website. 

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The Iron First allows for open hatch operations on the battlefield and Elbit Systems said it is effective against all anti-armor threats. The system provides 360° coverage for sight of surveillance and situational awareness. 

Forbes reported that the Iron First can detect and intercept missiles and explosives with tiny projectiles but added that it was unclear if the CV9035NL vehicles being produced for Ukraine by Denmark and Sweden will have this capability. 

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Like other models of the CV90, the version being sent to Ukraine features seats that are fixed to the roof and sides of the vehicle, which provides a degree of protection against mines and other explosives that hit the sides of the weapon. 

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“There’s a spall-liner that reduces the chances of shrapnel injuring the occupants. The new vehicle’s turret boasts a new armor composition,” David Axe explained about the CV9035NL, “but its exact formulation is a secret.”

As for firepower, the CV9035NL sports a 35-millimeter Bushmaster Mark III, which Army Guide noted can fire upwards of two hundred rounds a minute. But that is not the most impressive feature of the vehicle's main gun. 

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“The Bushmaster can fire armor-piercing, fragmentation and sabot rounds, but it’s the smaller size of the round—which translates into a larger ammunition load-out—that’s the main benefit,” David Axe wrote. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By AlfvanBeem, Own Work, CC0

The CV9035NL also comes equipped with a side turret launcher for anti-tank missiles, coupled with its main gun, armor, and advanced sights, the CV9035NL could prove to be one of the best vehicles in Ukraine's arsenal. All at a price point of $9 million dollars. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Bert Wickenhagen, Own Work, Public Domain