Future Forces 2022: Continued development of industrial cooperation program between BAE Systems and Czech industry
October 18, 2022 - BAE Systems continues its discussions with the Czech Defense industry to meet and exceed 40% industrial cooperation in the program to deliver new, modern CV90 infantry fighting vehicles to the Czech Republic.
BAE Systems’ CV90 MkIV takes center stage at the Future Forces trade show this week in Prague (19-21 October, 2022). This comes after the CV90 vehicle was recently selected by the Czech government as the replacement for its current infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) capability. The governments of the Czech Republic and Sweden have committed to work together to deliver new CV90s to the Czech Army.
At the event, BAE Systems will meet with members of Czech industry to continue negotiations for roles on the CV90 program. More than 30 companies are already on the list to help deliver the new CV90 vehicles to the Czech Armed Forces, and discussions are underway with other organizations. This new set of potential partners will help BAE Systems meet and even exceed the 40% minimum commitment of Czech industrial participation in the program. Several of these companies already participate in existing BAE Systems projects, offering highly-skilled opportunities to local industry.
“We remain fully committed to our strategy of close cooperation with Czech industry and we are prepared to work with them to build new capabilities in the development, production, and support of modern combat vehicles such as the CV90, by taking a role in all phases of its production and subsequent lifecycle,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, President of BAE Systems Hägglunds. “In addition, we intend to offer the Czech industrial and academic communities the opportunity to become part of the ongoing technological development of the CV90 platform for all user nations,” he added.
BAE Systems’ cooperation with Czech industry is based on five key pillars that the company will focus on: transfer of jointly-developed technology, vehicle development, production, and life-time support, as well as the innovation delivered through Czech–specific requirements. As part of its proposal to the Czech Republic, BAE Systems is planning to contract for the production of some CV90 components in the Czech Republic, as well as the final assembly of the vehicles.
“In our model, industrial cooperation is not just about providing opportunities for the assembly of the vehicles. We actually want to bring local industry into the development and production process of the vehicle, and through this work, transfer more high-skill processes to the Czech Republic. We have witnessed the capabilities of Czech engineers and experts and we look forward to working with them on this program,” Gustafsson-Rask explained.
The BAE Systems model of industrial cooperation will also create opportunities for new Czech patents, products, as well as hardware and software solutions for a broad spectrum of products, with the newly developed intellectual property remaining in Czech industry. The return on investment delivered from a program like the CV90 can be measured in many different ways. It helps build a stronger indigenous defense and engineering sector, with increased innovation and technology development skills.
BAE Systems has already set up a cooperation with the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) in Prague, focused on cybersecurity for military platforms. The company would like to further expand this cooperation into the development of artificial intelligence and automated solutions.
BAE Systems has also proposed the possibility of the Czech Ministry of Defense and Czech industry cooperating to build a Global BattleLab for the CV90 in the Czech Republic. The Global BattleLab could serve as a training and development centre for all CV90 users from around the world, and help continue to improve the platform’s technical capabilities through the knowledge and abilities of Czech experts.
The CV90 is available in 15 variants and is designed to provide optimum mobility, with the highest level of protection in any terrain or tactical environment. The CV90 MkIV combines improved battlefield speeds and handling with an upgraded electronic architecture to support future growth capabilities as the complex battlefield evolves.
There are nearly 1,300 CV90s in service with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Ola Thorén
Director, Communications
BAE Systems Hägglunds
Office: +46 660 80506
Mobile: +46 708 335000
