The first modernised Swedish Leopard 2 has arrived in Skövde after undergoing an extensive overhaul at KNDS's factory in Munich.
The tank is the first of 110 Stridsvagn 122s being rebuilt as Stridsvagn 123A, with improved protection, new sensors, an upgraded weapon system and digital subsystems.
AdvertisementThe arrival marks the next phase of Sweden's most extensive tank modernisation since the Stridsvagn 122 entered service in the late 1990s.
- Now we will move on to verification, continuous deliveries, training of Swedish Armed Forces personnel and the continued build-up of the other components across the entire system, Niclas Lindberg, head of FMV's tank section, said in a press release.
AdvertisementAbout KNDS
KNDS is a Franco-German defence group specialising in land systems, weapons and ammunition.
The company was formed in 2015 through the combination of Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and France's Nexter. Its headquarters are in Amsterdam.
KNDS produces systems including the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks, CAESAR and RCH 155 artillery systems and Boxer armoured vehicles.
The group generated EUR 4.4 billion in revenue in 2025, up 15.9 percent from the previous year.
KNDS employs more than 11,000 people worldwide.
Its order backlog stood at EUR 33.1 billion at the end of 2025, after receiving EUR 13.5 billion in new orders during the year.
KNDS says its systems are used by more than 40 armed forces worldwide, including 24 in Europe.
Source: KNDS
The first tank will be used to train instructors and inspection technicians. Tank crews will then be trained on the system.
The programme also covers ammunition, simulators, spare equipment, maintenance, training and infrastructure. Försvarets materielverk, FMV, plans to hand over the system to the Swedish Armed Forces later this year.
AdvertisementKNDS has been awarded both the modernisation contract and an order for 44 newly built Stridsvagn 123B tanks. This means Sweden is continuing with the Leopard system rather than opting for a Swedish solution from BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik.
AdvertisementHowever, the company's CV90 is fundamentally an infantry fighting vehicle rather than a direct equivalent to a main battle tank.
Sign up for Defence Nordic’s newsletter here.
BREAKING