According to a statement published by the Czech Ministry of Defense on July 20, 2022, the Czech government has agreed to start negotiations with the Swedish government for the purchase of CV90 tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles).
In 2016, the Czech Republic launched a tender to replace its fleet of Soviet-made tracked armored Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), but in November 2021, the Czech Ministry of Defense announced the suspension of the process of acquiring 210 tracked due to budgetary restrictions.
Now, the Czech Republic took the decision to negotiate directly with the Swedish government for the purchase of the CV90 and coordinate the acquisition with Slovakia which has already selected the CV90 Mk IV to replace its fleet of BVP-1 and BVP-2 local-made production of Soviet BMP-1 and BMP-2 tracked IFVs.
Slovakia signed a government-to-government deal to purchase 152 CV90 MkIV tracked IFVs manufactured by the company BAE Systems. The CV90 is the latest generation of IFV in the CV90 family. Slovakia has selected the CV90 armed with one 35mm cannon.
According to Major General Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, the Czech army needs a new tracked armored IFV that meets NATO standards and which could be the backbone of the new armored brigade of the Czech army.
Currently, the Czech army has a total of 247 IFVs including 120 BVP-2, a Soviet-made BMP-2 produced under license in the Czech Republic, 127 Pandur II wheeled armored vehicles and 98 BVP-1 (BMP-1 produced under license in the Czech Republic), and 65 BVP-2 all in store.