Russia captures prized stridsvagn 122 tank, boosting intel
A Stridsvagn 122 has fallen into Russian hands. It is the best-armoured tank that the Western allies have sent to the front in support of Kyiv. The opportunity to inspect and analyse it may provide the Russians with a wealth of valuable information.
Defence analyst Jarosław Wolski believes that capturing the Stridsvagn 122 is a far more valuable prize for the Russians than, for example, previously captured Abrams M1A1 tanks. This is primarily due to the armour of the Stridsvagn 122. In this respect, it is the best tank in the Ukrainian arsenal, surpassing both the American M1A1 and the German Leopard 1A5 and 2A4, especially when compared to the older Soviet-era tanks that the Ukrainians had in storage prior to the war.
Stridsvagn 122 in Russian hands
"It is in this vehicle, not in the captured M1A1s, that the Russians will see what good special armour in a tank looks like. Unfortunately, it is a valuable prize for them," wrote Jarosław Wolski on his profile on the X service.
The Stridsvagn 122 is a Swedish tank that was not built from scratch. It is a significant modernisation of the German Leopard 2A5, which it noticeably surpasses. The Swedes made several significant changes to key structural elements of their machine. Increased durability is primarily due to a reinforced roof and the sides of the hull. Additionally, the Stridsvagn 122 is equipped with more robust fuel tanks.
The armoured gold of the Ukrainians
"The Strv122 was top-tier armour in Europe until the Leopard 2A7/A8," added Jarosław Wolski.
The armament of the Stridsvagn 122 includes a smoothbore L/44 gun with a calibre of 120 mm and auxiliary machine guns with a calibre of 7.62 mm. The tank is powered by an engine with up to 1,500 horsepower, which allows it to maintain decent mobility for the crew despite its substantial mass (approximately 60 tonnes). The Swedish tank also features an advanced fire control system and a Tank Command and Control System (TCCS).
Very favourable opinions about the Swedish tanks are expressed not only by experts but also by Ukrainian soldiers, who consider the Stridsvagn 122 to be among the best tanks for combatting the Russian army.
