What are CVR(T) combat vehicles that Latvia is supplying to Ukraine?

Defense Express reports.

Defense Express claims that Ukraine can count on a batch of CVR(T) combat vehicles to be delivered by Latvia. The number and terms of their delivery have not been disclosed. The supply of these vehicles from Latvia also means obtaining the appropriate re-export permit from the UK, which is their manufacturer.

The delivery was confirmed by the country's Ministry of Defense, Delfi reports. 

Defense Express notes that these are rather small tracked combat vehicles on a single platform weighing about 8-10 tons. And CVR(T) combines both reconnaissance vehicles such as the FV107 Scimitar, which are equipped with a 30-mm automatic cannon, and armored personnel carriers such as the FV103 Spartan, the FV104 Samaritan medevac or the FV105 Sultan command and staff vehicle.

The FV103 Spartan APC has been actively supplied to Ukraine, both through direct assistance from partner countries and via volunteer projects. Despite their relatively compact size, these vehicles are equipped with armor capable of withstanding armor-piercing 14.5-mm rounds from a distance of 200 meters in the frontal projection.

According to Defense Express, Latvia has received approximately 170 CVR(T) vehicles since 2014, including Scorpion, Scimitar, Sultan, and Spartan models. The initial contract in 2014 involved the sale of 123 vehicles for 46 million euros. While the exact distribution of vehicle types is not clearly detailed, photos from the Lithuanian Armed Forces frequently feature Scimitar and Spartan models.

The FV107 Scimitar, despite its weight of 7.8 tons, is armed with a 30mm L21 automatic cannon paired with a machine gun. Its maneuverability is provided by a 252hp Jaguar J60 engine in older versions and a 190hp diesel engine in Mk II updates. The vehicle has a crew of three.

The FV103 Spartan is an armored personnel carrier weighing 10.6 tons, capable of transporting up to four troops, with a crew of three. The FV105 Sultan, a command and control vehicle, weighs 8.3 tons and features a higher roof.

“At the same time, the transfer of CVR(T) is also connected with the fact that Latvia has a plan to decommission them and replace them with Patria 6x6 wheeled armored personnel carriers. It is this Finnish APC that is to become the main one in the Latvian army, and its production has already been successfully localized, although it took more than a year,” Defense Express experts emphasize.