| Stridsvagn 103 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin |  Sweden |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1960s - 1990s |
| Used by | Swedish Army |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Bofors AB |
| Produced | 1967 - 1971 |
| Number built | 290 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 103 B: 39.7 t (43.8 short tons; 39.1 long tons) 103 C: 42.5 t (46.8 short tons; 41.8 long tons) |
| Length | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) (incl. gun) |
| Width | 103 B: 3.60 m (11 ft 10 in) 103 C: 3.80 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in) |
| Crew | 3 (Commander, gunner/driver, rear driver) |
| | |
| Armor | Unknown |
| Main armament | 105 mm L/62 rifled Gun with 50 rounds |
| Secondary armament | two fixed 7.62 mm MG one anti-aircraft 7.62 mm MG |
| Engine | 103 A: Rolls-Royce K60 diesel, 240 hp (179 kW) and Boeing GT502 gas turbine, 300 hp (223 kW) 103 B: Rolls-Royce K60 diesel, 240 hp (179 kW) and Caterpillar 553 gas turbine, 490 hp (365 kW) |
| Power/weight | 18.3 hp/tonne (B and C) |
| Transmission | 2 forward and 2 reverse speeds |
| Suspension | Gas-hydraulic Hydropneumatic suspension |
| Operational range | 390 km (240 mi) |
| Speed | 50 km/h (31 mph) maximum road |
Strv 103B
As the weight of the Strv 103 had increased compared to the pre-production tanks the 103 turned out to be underpowered. Hence a more powerful version of the same gas turbine, manufactured by Caterpillar, was introduced after the first production run of 80 tanks. The early version was soon upgraded to B-standard.
Strv 103C
An upgrade program was started in 1986 to fit all vehicles with improved fire control systems. Also, each S-Tank was fitted with a dozer blade, rather than just one per platoon. A further upgrade in 1987/88 replaced the Rolls-Royce engine with a newer 290 hp (216 kW) Detroit Diesel with additional fuel tanks, and added a new laser rangefinder. There was some consideration of adding both reactive and/or appliqué armour in the early 1990s, but in the end the S-Tank was instead phased out of Swedish service in favour of the Leopard 2, which entered service in 1997. The last year in which the S-Tank were used to train tank crews was 1997.
Strv 103D
In the mid-1990s, as the Swedish armed forces were looking for a new main battle tank, one Strv 103C was upgraded into the Strv 103D. The major changes were the installation of fire-control computer, thermal viewers for both the gunner and the commander, allowing the crew to fight at night-time and in bad weather conditions, and the installation of passive light enhancers for driving. Some minor changes to the suspension system and engine were also made.
This prototype was used during the trials for the new main battle tank system for the Swedish armed forces alongside all the other tanks tested. For a few years this prototype was even tested under remote control. The only Strv 103D ever built is today on display at the Axvall armor museum, together with some 103C models. They are all still in running order.
