Pansarbandvagn 302

Infobox Weapon
name=Pansarbandvagn 302


caption=A Pbv 302 used by IFOR in Bosnia.
origin=Sweden
type=Armoured personnel carrier
is_vehicle=yes
crew=3 (commander, driver, gunner) + 8 (passengers)
length=5.35 m
width=2.86 m
height=2.50 m
weight=14 tonnes
armour= [secret]
primary_armament=20 mm automatkanon m/47D
secondary_armament=–
engine=Diesel, Volvo THD 100
engine_power=270 hp (201 kW)
suspension=Torsion beam suspension
speed=66 km/h
pw_ratio=19.29 hp/tonne
vehicle_range=300 km

Pansarbandvagn 302 (pbv 302), is a Swedish high mobility armoured personnel carrier that was developed to meet the operational requirements of the Swedish Army. It was designed and manufactured by Hägglund and Söner in Örnsköldsvik (now Hägglunds Vehicle AB). The design was commissioned in 1961 as a replacement for the Pbv 301. Production ran from 1966 until 1971. The vehicle has been upgraded but continues in service. The CV 90 series is now supposed to be the standard infantry fighting vehicle for Sweden, although it's mainly in use abroad (with Swedish forces).

Description

The pbv 302 has wide tracks and a high power to weight ratio, and gives exceptionally good off-road mobility, and the low ground pressure enables it to operate over summer tundra and winter snow. It is powered by a Volvo 10 liter, 270 hp diesel engine. The vehicle is fully amphibious with little preparation by the crew. It is fitted with a 20 mm Hispano-Suiza type 804 cannon in a one-man turret. The vehicle weighs 14 tonnes, with a crew of three, commander, driver and a gunner, and a squad of eight troops. The infantry squad is able to fight through two large roof hatches, though standard procedure would be to dismount through the two side-hinged doors in the rear to fight. Maximum road speed is 65 km/h. The range on roads is about 300 km.

The total production was 650 units, circa, and variants include:
* Pbv 302A. The standard troop transport/IFV version.
* Pbv 302C. An upgraded Pbv 302A, with add-on armour, reinforced suspension, a stronger engine and air condition. It has mainly been used for UN- and KFOR-missions.
* Stripbv 3021. The C3I command post for battalion and brigade commanders and other staff members.
* Epbv 3022. The forward observer vehicle for artillery observers fire control personnel.
* Bplpbv 3023. The battery command control vehicle attached to self propelled gun batteries.
* Rlpbv 3024. A communications vehicle for directed radio communications.

Three more vehicles were developed using the Pbv 302 chassis.
* Bgbv 82. An armored recovery vehicle.
* Brobv 941. A bridgelayer.
* Pbv 3026. A MEDEVAC vehicle.

Pbv 302 shares common components with the Ikv 91 tank destroyer.

External links

* [http://www.haaland.info/sweden/apc/index.html Hägglunds Vehicle AB site]

See also

*List of modern armoured fighting vehicles
*Swedish Armed Forces
*FV432
*M113