Refurbishment and Modernization of the Swedish Armed Forces’ Tracked Vehicles

3. juli 2026 | Svekon - Svensk Konstruktionstjänst

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The Swedish Armed Forces’ tracked vehicles have long been a vital part of Sweden’s defence capability. To ensure continued operational readiness, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) initiated an extensive modernization program aimed at extending the service life and improving the performance of the vehicles. The contract was awarded to Nordic Terrain Solutions (NTS), of which Svekon is a partner responsible for project management and delivery.

Background
The Swedish Armed Forces’ tracked vehicles, models Bv 206 and Bv 208, were originally developed during the 1970s and 1980s and have served as a key capability within the Swedish defence organization for decades. Despite continuous upgrades over the years, the vehicles’ powertrains had reached the end of their technical service life.

At the same time, the vehicles’ unique mobility and compact size remain highly valued. To maintain operational capability, an extensive modernization program was launched in which the existing fleet is upgraded with a new powertrain solution. The objective is to extend the vehicles’ service life while significantly improving performance.

Nordic Terrain Solutions, responsible for carrying out the project, is a partnership between Svekon, Granit Teknikbyrå, Staffare, Huddig and SPI.

“The upgrade program for the tracked vehicles is something the Swedish Armed Forces are in great need of and have been anticipating for a long time.”

Albin Karlsson – Systems Engineer, FMV

An extensive assignment
Within NTS, Svekon has played a central role, ensuring successful delivery. At its core, the assignment involves replacing legacy engines and transmissions dating back to the 1970s and 1980s with modern alternatives. In practice, the project is considerably more complex. Replacing the powertrain affects numerous surrounding systems and components, making the modernization far more extensive than simply replacing the engine and transmission.

The objective is to extend the service life of the vehicles by at least 15 years while significantly improving drivability, reliability and overall performance.

The project currently includes more than 1,000 vehicles. The original contract covered 800 vehicles, with additional volumes already added through contract options.

The scope includes:

Replacement of engines and transmissions with modern alternatives
Adaptation of all affected systems and components
Modernization of both standard and specialized vehicle variants
“Replacing the powertrain is far more complex than simply changing the engine. It affects a wide range of systems throughout the vehicle.”

Rikard Erikson – Project Manager, Svekon

Execution
The project is carried out in close collaboration between the partners within NTS, with Svekon responsible for overall project management and delivery assurance.

The refurbishment work is performed in an industrial production environment and includes both standard troop transport vehicles and specialized variants designed for different operational roles.

Svekon’s responsibilities include:

Overall project management
Systems engineering
Quality management
Configuration management
Logistics management
Financial management
Planning and execution of testing and verification
Participation in Integrated Logistics Support (ILS)

Other project partners are responsible for areas such as system safety, production and specialized vehicle modifications.