436 Vehicles, $760 Million, Delivery from 2024
In an agreement valued at US$760 million, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom are to jointly procure a total of 436 BAE Systems BvS10 all-terrain vehicles (ATV). The move is in support of the Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme for Arctic operations – not to be confused with the US Army’s Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme, for which the vehicle’s unarmoured variant, Beowulf, won the competition in August. The US Army will receive 110 vehicles over a five-year period.
“We‘re seeing increased interest from numerous countries for the extreme mobility capabilities offered by the BvS10 and its unarmoured sister vehicle, Beowulf,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, Managing Director of BAE Systems Hägglunds. “Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom will be getting an excellent return on their investment in these highly capable vehicles for decades to come.”
The three-nation acquisition will deliver the 436 vehicles beginning in 2024, with 236 destined for the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), 140 for the German MoD, and 60 to UK MoD. The vehicles are based on the latest version of the BvS10 currently operated by Sweden, and will include variants for troop transport, logistics, medical evacuation, recovery, and command and control.
The CATV programme includes a framework agreement that could lead to the purchase of more vehicles by the three nations, keeping the BvS10, the world’s leading ATV, in production for many years to come. Sweden is the lead nation and has established a joint procurement office to lead the effort with representatives from all three nations.
This acquisition follows Sweden’s order last year of an additional 127 BvS10s for its existing fleet. In parallel, Sweden is also procuring an additional 40 vehicles in a separate contract, valued at approximately $50 million.
BvS10 and Beowulf’s articulated mobility systems provide optimal manoeuvrability across varying terrains, so they can traverse snow, ice, rock, sand, mud or swamps, as well as steep mountain environments. The vehicles’ amphibious feature also allow them to swim in flooded areas or coastal waters. They can deliver personnel and supplies to sustain strategic, tactical, and operational mobility. The BvS10 is currently operated by Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
