Tanks of Sweden

Short description: none

Swedish Landsverk L-60 World War II tank.

Template:History of the tank This article deals with the history and development of tanks employed by the military of Sweden, from the interwar period, and World War II, the Cold War and modern era.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 List of Swedish tanks
* 3 See also
* 4 Sources and further reading
* 5 References

## History

Following World War I, the Swedish government purchased parts for the German tank prototype LK II and then assembled in Sweden as the Stridsvagn m/21 (Strv m/21), which was essentially an improved version of the LK II prototype. Ten of these tanks were built, their armament a single 6.5 mm (0.26 in) machine gun.[1]

In 1929, five were rebuilt to create the Strv m/21-29 variant which was armed with a 37mm gun or two machine guns and was powered by a Scania-Vabis engine. The Stridsvagn m/31 (Landsverk L-10) tank was the next design and built by AB Landsverk. It was armed with a 37 mm Bofors gun and a light machine gun, and was equipped with 8–24 mm armor. Only three were built and, despite being highly advanced for the time when World War II broke out, they were dug in as static bunkers.[2]

Stridsvagn m/37 on display at Swedish Army Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

Sweden ordered forty-eight tankettes in 1937 as the Stridsvagn m/37 (Strv m/37) after a successful demonstration during winter conditions in the Krkonoše Mountains. They were to be assembled in Oskarshamn with a more powerful 4.39 litres (268 cu in), water-cooled, six-cylinder, 85 horsepower (63 kW) Volvo FC-CKD gasoline engine and armor, up to 15 millimetres (0.59 in) thick, from Avesta, although ČKD supplied most of the other components after building one prototype. The vehicle was heavily modified with the driver's machine gun deleted and proved to be the heaviest and largest version of the AH-IV at 4.68 tonnes (4.61 long tons; 5.16 short tons) and a length of 3.4 metres (11 ft), a width of 1.85 metres (6.1 ft) and 1.96 metres (6.4 ft) high. Its turret mounted two Swedish 8 mm (0.31 in) Ksp m/36 strv machine guns and sported a small observation cupola on its top. It carried a radio and 3960 rounds for its machine guns. It had a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) and a range of 200 kilometres (120 mi). It could ford a stream up to .9 metres (3.0 ft) in depth. The last components were shipped in November 1938.[3][4]

The Swedish model of the AH-IV, the Strv m/37

On 1 September 1939, at the outbreak of war, Sweden relied on a numerous army through conscription and the use of a Total Defence policy. Throughout World War II, Sweden held the largest infantry army of the Nordic countries with more than 1,000,000 soldiers.

When the war broke out in 1939, Sweden had one armoured division consisting of merely 13 light tanks, only 3 of which were considered to be modern (the remaining 10 had been in service since the 1920s).

During the war, Sweden had the Stridsvagn m/41 which was a license-built version of the Czechoslovak TNH medium tank, and also the Landsverk L-60 light tank. The L-60 was adopted by the Swedish army in 4 main variants: Stridsvagn m/38, Stridsvagn m/39, Stridsvagn m/40L and Stridsvagn m/40K. The most significant Swedish tank development during the war was the Stridsvagn m/42 (Strv m/42) a medium tank it fielded with a 75 mm L/34 gun, the first of its size in a Swedish tank. It entered service with the Swedish army in November 1941. Modern in design, it was also well protected and mobile. A total of 282 were produced.

Stridsvagn m40K tank

In 1945, the number of tanks serving the Swedish army had increased from 13 to more than 800. As a neutral nation in World War II, Sweden did not engage in combat; thus its tanks have no battlefield record.

The Stridsvagn 74 was a tank in use with the Swedish Army from 1958 to 1984. It was a modification of the older Stridsvagn m/42, which was phased out of service in the early 1950s. Instead of scrapping the vehicles altogether, the chassis were used to build a new tank which could be used as a supplement to the newly bought stridsvagn 81. The turret of the strv 74 was completely new, with a 75 mm high-velocity gun based on an old anti-aircraft gun, engines and transmission were modified or changed from the strv m/42, broader tracks and a separate electrical engine for the turret rotation was introduced while retaining the manual control as a backup.

Stridsvagn 122 of the Swedish army

The Stridsvagn 103 is a Swedish post-World War II main battle tank.[5] It is known for its unconventional design: it is turretless with a fixed gun traversed by engaging the tracks and elevated by adjusting the hull suspension. While turretless armoured fighting vehicles are usually classified as assault guns or tank destroyers, despite its unique gun laying process[6][7][8] the Strv 103 is considered a tank because its designated combat role matched those of other tanks within contemporary Swedish doctrine. It is the only mass-produced tank since World War II to dispense with a turret.

The Strv 103 was designed and manufactured in Sweden. It was developed in the 1950s and was the first main battle tank to use a turbine engine. The result was a very low-profile design with an emphasis on survivability and heightened crew protection level. Strv 103s formed a major portion of the Swedish armoured forces from the 1960s to the 1990s, when, along with the Centurions, it was replaced by the Stridsvagn 121 and the Stridsvagn 122, variants of the Leopard 2.

## List of Swedish tanks

Vehicle  | Origin  | Type  | Versions  | In service  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

110px
Strv m/21-29 |  Germany/ Sweden | Light tank | Strv 21 | 1922-1938 |
110px
Landsverk L-10 |  Sweden | Light tank | Strv L10 | 1935-1939 |
110px
Landsverk L-60 |  Sweden | Light tank | Strv L-60 | 1939–1960 |
110px
Stridsvagn m/41 |  Sweden | Medium tank | Strv m/41 | 1942-1957 |
110px
Stridsvagn m/42 |  Sweden | Medium tank | Strv m/42 | 1943-1960 |
110px
Stridsvagn 74 |  Sweden | Light tank | Stridsvagn 74 | 1958-1984 |
110px
Stridsvagn 103 |  Sweden | Main Battle tank | Stridsvagn 103 | 1967-1997 |
110px
Strv 121 |  Germany/ Sweden | Main battle tank | Strv 121 | 1985-2002 |

* * *

* * *

Used for recovery training
110px
Strv 122 |  Germany/ Sweden | Main battle tank

* * *

Armoured recovery vehicle

* * *

Combat engineering vehicle | Strv 122 A/B

* * *

Bgbv 120

* * *

Pionierpanzer 3 Kodiak | 120[9] 1997-present |

* * *

* * *

## See also

* History of the tank
* Tanks in World War II
* Tank classification
* List of military vehicles
* Military equipment of Sweden during World War II
* Military equipment of Sweden during the Cold War

## Sources and further reading

* Home page of the Swedish Armed Forces
* http://www.soldf.com/
* See article links for further information on specific equipment

## References

1. ↑ Chamberlain, Peter (2002). Tanks of the World, 1915-1945. United Kingdom: Cassell & Company. pp. 159. ISBN 9780304361410.
2. ↑ Tanks in World War 2: Stridsvagn m/31 (Landsverk L-10)
3. ↑ Kliment and Francev, p. 115, 282
4. ↑ "Strv m/37". Archived from the original on 2010-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20100812065524/http://www.arsenalen.se/en/fordon3en.aspx?f=2. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
5. ↑ chant, c; Jones, R (2004). Tanks: Over 250 of the World's Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles. Summertime Publishing Ltd. p. 156. ISBN 0-7603-1871-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=8CwgxzMqrv0C&pg=PA156. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
6. ↑ "Stridsvagn 103 s tank clutch and break manouvre". 17 December 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsz1rSQTAfA.
7. ↑ "Tekniskt Magasin - Stridsvagn 103". 25 November 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQwsgPYHPd4&t=186s.
8. ↑ "Trafikmagasinet provkör STRIDSVAGN S". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjdLJbJBgUM&t=489.
9. ↑ The Military Balance 2014. pp. 139.

Template:WWIISwedishAFVs

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the Second World War

Light|

* Toldi tanks
* KhTZ-16
* L6/40
* Light tank Mk VIII
* M3/M5 Stuart
* M22 Locust
* M24 Chaffee
* Marmon–Herrington CTLS
* Renault R40
* NI tank
* T-26
* T-40
* T-60
* T-70
* Tetrarch
* Panzer I
* Panzer II
* Panzer 35(t)
* 7TP
* Type 98 Ke-Ni
* Type 2 Ke-To
* Type 2 Ka-Mi
* Type 4 Ke-Nu

Medium|

* Turán I and II
* 43M Turán III
* M11/39
* M13/40
* M14/41
* M15/42
* M2 medium
* M3 Lee/Grant
* M4 Sherman
* Sherman Firefly
* M26 Pershing
* P26/40
* Panzer III
* Panzer IV
* Panzer V Panther
* Stridsvagn m/41
* Stridsvagn m/42
* T-34
* T-44
* Type 97 ShinHōtō Chi-Ha
* Type 1 Chi-He
* Type 3 Ka-Chi
* Type 3 Chi-Nu

Cruiser|

* AC1 Sentinel
* Cruiser Mk IV
* Covenanter
* Crusader
* Cavalier
* Cromwell (and Centaur)
* Mk VIII Challenger
* Comet
* Grizzly
* Ram

Infantry|

* Churchill
* Matilda II
* Valentine
* T-50
* Type 2 Ho-I

Heavy|

* IS tank
* IS-1
* IS-2
* IS-3
* KV tank
* Tiger I
* Tiger II

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* 44M Tas
* AC3 Thunderbolt
* AC4
* AELT
* AMX 40
* Black Prince
* Bob Semple tank
* Excelsior
* M6 heavy tank
* M7 medium tank
* Nahuel DL 43
* O-I
* Panzer VIII Maus
* Panzerkampfwagen E-100
* PPG
* Sahariano
* Schofield
* Special number 3 Ku-Ro
* T14 heavy
* T20 medium
* T28
* T29 heavy
* T30 heavy
* T32 heavy
* T34 heavy
* T-43
* TOG1
* TOG2
* Type 98 Chi-Ho
* Type 4 Chi-To
* Type 5 Chi-Ri
* Type 5 Ke-Ho
* Type 5 To-Ku
* Valiant
* Verdeja

* World War II tanks
* List of armoured fighting vehicles of World War II
* Background: History of the tank, Tank classification

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the Cold War

Main battle|

* AMX-30
* AMX-30E
* Centurion
* Sho't
* Challenger 1
* Chieftain
* Chonma-ho
* CM-11 Brave Tiger
* K1 88
* Leopard 1
* Leopard 2
* M1 Abrams
* M48 Patton
* CM-12
* M60 tank
* Magach
* Merkava
* OF-40
* Panzer 68
* Stridsvagn 103
* T-55
* T-62
* T-64
* T-72
* M-84
* Lion of Babylon
* T-80
* TR-85
* Type 59
* Type 61
* Type 69/79
* Type 74
* Type 80/85/88
* Type 90
* Vickers MBT Mk 1
* Vijayanta
* Vickers MBT Mk 3

Light|

* AMX-13
* HSTV(L)
* M41 Walker Bulldog
* M551 Sheridan
* PT-76
* PT-85
* SK-105 Kürassier
* Stingray
* Type 62
* Type 63
* Type 64
* X1A

Medium|

* Charioteer
* M46 Patton
* M47 Patton
* Panzer 58
* Panzer 61
* Stridsvagn 74
* Super Sherman
* TAM
* T-54

Heavy|

* ARL 44
* Conqueror
* IS-4
* M103
* T-10

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* AMX-32
* AMX-40
* AMX-50
* Char 25T
* EE-T1 Osório
* Emil
* Expeditionary Tank
* HSTV(L)
* IS-7
* Lorraine 40t
* M8 armored gun system
* MB-3 Tamoyo
* MBT-70
* MBT-80
* Object 187
* Object 279
* Object 292
* Object 490A
* Object 770
* Object 785
* Spähpanzer Ru 251
* Spähpanzer SP I.C.
* T92 light tank
* T95 medium tank
* TR-125
* Vickers MBT Mk 4 Valiant
* Vickers MBT Mk 7
* WZ-111 heavy tank
* WZ-132 light tank
* WZ-122

* Cold War tanks
* List of modern armoured fighting vehicles

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification, Tanks in the Cold War

* v
* t
* e

Tanks of the post–Cold War era

Main battle|

* Al-Khalid tank
* Al-Zarrar
* Altay
* Ariete
* Arjun
* Challenger 2
* Durjoy
* Haider
* K2 Black Panther
* Karrar
* Leclerc (Leclerc XLR, Leclerc Evolution)
* Leopard 2 (Leopard 2E, Leopard 2PL)
* M1 Abrams
* Merkava IV
* Pokpung-ho
* PT-91 Twardy
* Ramses II
* Sabra
* Stridsvagn 122
* T-72M4CZ
* T-84
* T-90
* Type 10
* Type 72Z
* Type 96
* Type 99
* VT-4
* Zulfiqar
* Type 100

Light / medium|

* Kaplan MT / Harimau
* Sabrah
* Sabre CVRT
* 2S25 Sprut-SD
* Tosan
* Type 15 / VT-5
* Type 63A
* ZTD-05 / ZLT-05

Prototypes,
experimentals|

* AbramsX
* Black EagleX
* Challenger 3
* Cheonma-2
* CV90105 / CV90120
* K21-105
* Leopard 3
* M8 armored gun systemX
* M10 BookerX
* M60-2000X
* M-84AS
* M-84AS1
* M-84D
* M-95 DegmanX
* Main Ground Combat System
* Marder medium tank
* Panther KF51
* PatagónX
* PL-01X
* Tiam
* T-14 Armata
* T-55AGM
* T-95X
* Tank EXX
* Zorawar

Cancelled or derelict projectX

* Post–Cold War tanks
* List of modern armoured fighting vehicles

Background: History of the tank, Tank classification

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanks of Sweden. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engineering:Tanks_of_Sweden&oldid=4282238"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template