Tanks

Strv 122

Also known as
  • Stridsvagn 122
  • Main battle tank 122
  • Leopard 2 Swedish version

The Strv 122, formally Stridsvagn 122, is Sweden's Leopard 2-based main battle tank, adapted for Swedish service with a four-person crew, a 120 mm smoothbore gun, 7.62 mm machine guns, smoke launchers, reinforced protection, and a digital command-support system. Sweden donated about ten tanks to Ukraine in 2023, trained Ukrainian crews in Sweden, and later contracted to modernize its remaining Strv 122 fleet into the Strv 123A standard while buying new Leopard 2A8-based Strv 123B tanks.

Strv 122, Main battle tank, Tanks
Image source: File:Strv 122.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Sweden / Germany
Type
Main battle tank
Service note
Entered Swedish service in the mid-to-late 1990s; donated to Ukraine during the full-scale 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Designer
Leopard 2 design adapted to Swedish requirements
Designed
1990s Swedish Leopard 2 procurement and adaptation
Produced
Original Swedish Strv 122 fleet acquired in the late 1990s and early 2000s; Strv 123A modernization deliveries planned from 2027
Number built
120 for Sweden before the 2023 Ukraine donation
Developed from
Leopard 2 family

Specifications

Crew
4: commander, gunner, loader, and driver
Main armament
120 mm smoothbore gun
Secondary armament
Two 7.62 mm machine guns and smoke grenade launchers
Combat weight
About 62.5 metric tons
Dimensions
About 9.97 m long with gun forward, 3.78 m wide, and 3.00 m high
Engine
MTU MB-873 Ka-501 diesel rated at about 1,500 hp
Road speed
About 72 km/h
Operational range
About 470 km
Ammunition
Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot and high-explosive 120 mm rounds; 42 rounds of 120 mm ammunition and about 4,750 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition
Engagement range
Swedish Armed Forces states the main gun can strike targets out to about 4 km
Command system
Digital map and data-communication system for orders, target designation, and coordination between tanks
Modernization
Strv 123A upgrades add an L55 gun, new electronics, night sights, driver night camera, and new tracks
Swedish Upgrade Path

The Strv 122 sits at the intersection of Sweden's national Leopard 2 adaptation, the Ukraine transfer, and the Swedish Army recapitalization plan that follows the donation.

StageDocumented changeWhy it matters
Original Strv 122FMV described stronger protection, electric laying, an infrared channel for the commander, and a digital command-support system on the Swedish Leopard 2 adaptation.The vehicle is not just a stock Leopard 2A5; Swedish service requirements shaped protection and command-and-control features.
Ukraine transferSweden announced up to ten Leopard 2 battle tanks for Ukraine, trained Ukrainian crews, and the Swedish Armed Forces later reported Strv 122 tanks on the battlefield in Ukraine.The small donated fleet gives the type a documented Russia-Ukraine War combat role tied to Swedish military support.
Strv 123AFMV contracted modernization work with new electronics, night sights, driver night camera, new tracks, and an L55 gun for remaining Strv 122 vehicles.The upgrade keeps existing Swedish hulls relevant while correcting obsolescence and firepower limits.
Strv 123BFMV identifies the new Strv 123B as a Leopard 2A8-based Swedish acquisition alongside the Strv 123A upgrade path.Sweden is replacing donated capacity and expanding the tank force rather than treating the Strv 122 as a static legacy fleet.
Variants

Swedish Strv 122 designations separate the original national Leopard 2 adaptation from later mine-protection, modernization, and replacement paths. FMV's current recapitalization plan keeps upgraded Strv 122 hulls under the Strv 123A designation and gives the new Leopard 2A8-based fleet the Strv 123B designation.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Strv 122BMine-protection branch

FMV described Sweden's Leopard 2 mine-protection work in the early 2000s, including Swedish mounting and testing of new protection for the Strv 122 fleet.

Sources: FMV archived Stridsvagn 122 description

Strv 123AModernized Strv 122

FMV says the Strv 123A modernization adds new electronics, night sights, a driver night camera, new tracks, and an L55 gun to remaining Swedish Strv 122 tanks.

Sources: FMV signs contract for extensive upgrade of Stridsvagn 122, FMV upgrades and acquires tanks

Leopard 2, Main battle tank, TanksStrv 123BNew Leopard 2A8-based Swedish fleet

FMV identifies the Strv 123B as Sweden's new Leopard 2A8-based acquisition, separate from upgraded Strv 123A vehicles.

Sources: FMV upgrades and acquires tanks

Timeline

Strv 122 Key Events

  1. Sweden fields its Leopard 2 variant

    FMV says Stridsvagn 122 entered the Swedish Armed Forces in the mid-1990s, while Swedish Armed Forces reporting describes it as the Swedish version of the German Leopard 2 and the backbone of Swedish mechanized brigades for more than 30 years.

    Sources: FMV upgrades and acquires tanks, Swedish main battle tank Stridsvagn 122 on site in Ukraine

  2. Sweden announces Leopard 2 tank support for Ukraine

    The Government Offices of Sweden announced that Sweden intended to donate up to ten Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine as part of support package 11.

    Sources: Heavy advanced weapons to Ukraine in new support package

  3. Ten Strv 122 tanks are reported on the battlefield

    The Swedish Armed Forces reported that ten Stridsvagn 122 tanks were in Ukraine, manned by Ukrainian crews trained in Sweden.

    Sources: Swedish main battle tank Stridsvagn 122 on site in Ukraine

  4. FMV contracts a Strv 122 modernization

    FMV signed a roughly SEK 3.5 billion contract with KMW to renovate and modify 44 Strv 122 tanks with new electronics, an L55 gun, new night sights, a driver night camera, and new tracks; FMV said the upgraded tanks would be called Stridsvagn 123A.

    Sources: FMV signs contract for extensive upgrade of Stridsvagn 122

  5. Sweden expands the tank recapitalization plan

    FMV said it had contracted for 44 new Leopard 2A8 tanks and modernization of the remaining 66 Swedish Strv 122 tanks, with modified vehicles named Strv 123A and new vehicles named Strv 123B.

    Sources: FMV upgrades and acquires tanks

Media

Strv 122 Videos

Strv 122 Images

Strv 122, Main battle tank, Tanks - view 1
Source: File:Strv 122.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Leopard 2, Main battle tank, TanksTanksLeopard 2Main battle tankThe Leopard 2 is Germany's long-running NATO-standard main battle tank family, built around Rheinmetall 120 mm smooth-bore guns, modular protection, and repeated fire-control upgrades. The A4 became the widely exported baseline branch, the A6/A6M brought the longer L55 gun and mine-protection changes into combat service, and later A7/A8 work adds digital systems, programmable ammunition, and active-protection integration. Combat documentation spans Canadian A6M use in Afghanistan, Turkish A4 losses in Syria, and donor-supplied Leopard 2A4, Leopard 2A6, and Strv 122 tanks in Ukrainian service.
CV90, Tracked infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesCV90Tracked infantry fighting vehicleThe CV90 is a Swedish tracked infantry fighting vehicle family built by BAE Systems Hägglunds for protected troop movement, direct-fire support, and configurable combat-vehicle roles. Its Mk IV generation adds a higher-power drivetrain, upgraded digital architecture, D-series turret options, and active-protection integration, while Ukraine's documented wartime fleet is tied to Swedish-donated CV90s and later new CV9035 MkIIIC procurement rather than confirmed Mk IV deliveries.

Sources

Stridsvagn 122 (Strv 122) Main Battle TankPublisher: MilitaryFactory.com | Note: Supports general Strv 122 background, production, manufacturer, and technical specification details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Heavy advanced weapons to Ukraine in new support packagePublisher: Government Offices of Sweden | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War transfer context: Sweden intended to donate up to ten Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, and the facts section identifies Stridsvagn 122 as Sweden's Leopard 2 version. | Accessed: 2026-06-24Military support to UkrainePublisher: Government Offices of Sweden | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War transfer context: Sweden's support package 11 supplied main battle tank 122 (Leopard 2) to Ukraine and package 13 included spare parts for main battle tank 122. | Accessed: 2026-06-24Swedish main battle tank Stridsvagn 122 on site in UkrainePublisher: Swedish Armed Forces | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use context: Stridsvagn 122 tanks were delivered to Ukraine, fielded by Ukrainian crews, and used on the battlefield; also supports crew, armament, ammunition, range, and Swedish fleet context. | Accessed: 2026-06-24FMV signs contract for extensive upgrade of Stridsvagn 122Publisher: Swedish Defence Materiel Administration | Note: Supports Strv 122 modernization details, KMW contract context, Strv 123A designation, L55 gun upgrade, electronics replacement, new sights, driver night camera, and planned deliveries. | Accessed: 2026-06-24FMV upgrades and acquires tanksPublisher: Swedish Defence Materiel Administration | Note: Supports Swedish fleet recapitalization context, including modernization of remaining Strv 122 tanks into Strv 123A and procurement of Leopard 2A8-based Strv 123B tanks. | Accessed: 2026-06-24FMV archived Stridsvagn 122 descriptionPublisher: Swedish Defence Materiel Administration | Note: Archived FMV project page supporting Strv 122 design changes compared with Strv 121, including improved protection, electric laying, command-support functions, fleet delivery context, and mine-protection development. | Accessed: 2026-06-30FMV archived Stridsvagn 122 factsPublisher: Swedish Defence Materiel Administration | Note: Archived FMV facts table supporting crew, dimensions, combat weight, engine output, road speed, range, armament, ammunition stowage, smoke launchers, thermal sights, and the data-communication command system. | Accessed: 2026-06-30File:Strv 122.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and license page for the Strv 122 photograph used as the primary image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Strong Europe Tank Challenge 2018 Swedish STRV 122Publisher: DVIDS | Note: Public-domain image page for a Swedish Strv 122 at the Strong Europe Tank Challenge, used as an additional gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-30