Though rarely considered a military powerhouse in the same breath as the United States, Great Britain or Russia, it seems that Sweden has always stayed on the cutting edge of their military endeavors choosing a more calculated, balanced and defensive-minding approach to their hardware. With experience garnered from tank production prior to the Second World War, it only seemed a matter of time before the country would follow suit of its counterparts in the West and offer up an armored personnel carrier worthy of her army. The Pbv 302 (Pansarbandvagn 302) was just that, an APC in the mold of the American FMC M113 system - appearing outwardly similar to that system in fact - yet peppered with Swedish innovations throughout.
The earlier Swedish armored personnel carrier came in the form of the Pbv 301 which featured a 20mm main gun with passenger accommodation for 8 infantrymen. But age was finally catching up to the 301 and a new design solution was in the works. The resulting carrier became the Pbv 302 series and would become the backbone of Swedish Army forces for several decades.
Outwardly, the 302 was of a most basic design. Straight edges greeted the viewer with the notable exception being the well-sloped frontal hull of all-welded steel. Five large road wheels were provided for either track side with power derived form a Volvo-brand 280 horsepower 6-cylinder engine. The crew of two consists of the driver, seated at the front center of the hull, and the commander to the right and rear. Up to 10 combat-ready infantrymen can be carried in the rear hull with entry and exit made possible through a twin doors in the rear.
Basic armament for the Pbv 302 is a single 20mm Hispano-brand cannon. The cannon is fitted to a powered turret that is mounted to the extreme forward of the hull roof and to the driver's left hand side. Self-defense is further augmented by 6 smoke grenade dischargers and 2 x Lyran flare launchers are also present.
Like most other successful armor designs, the chassis of the 302 has seen further service in other forms that include the prototypical command, fire direction post and observation post vehicles. Proposed designs have included an Mk 2 mark with varied improvements over the initial production model and a dedicated infantry fighting vehicle mounting a 25mm main gun in a turret assembly.
The 302 was offered for export to Swedish allies though none were purchased. The country maintains strict export rules so the reach of any Swedish-made system is usually limited to Sweden itself. In any case, the Pbv 302 continued the long-standing tradition of quality Swedish-born weaponry that have formed the basis of a highly-respected defense industry.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Infantry Support
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
Length
17.6 ft 5.35 m
Width
9.4 ft 2.86 m
Height
8.2 ft 2.5 m
Weight
29,762 lb 13,500 kg
Tonnage
14.9 tons LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Pansarbandvagn 302 production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant:
1 x Volvo Penta Model THD 100B 6-cylinder inline diesel-fueled engine developing 270 horsepower.
Speed
41.0 mph (66.0 kph)
Range
186.4 mi (300.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Pansarbandvagn 302 production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
1 x 20mm Hispano / Automatkanon m/47D cannon.
1 x 7.62mm Ksp 58 machine gun.
2 x Lyran flare launchers.
1 x 6 smoke grenade dischargers.
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
505 x 20mm ammunition.
1,000 x 7.62mm ammunition.
6 x smoke grenades.
Pbv 302 - Base Armored Personnel Carrier
Stripbv 3021 - Command Vehicle
Epbv 3022 - Observation Post Vehicle
Bplpbv 3023 - Fire Direction Post Vehicle
Pbv 302 Mk 2 - Proposed secondary production mark in prototype form; additional cupola fitted at rear.
Pbv 302 IFV - Proposed Infantry Fighting Vehicle sporting a turreted 25mm main gun.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.
Sweden
