The Swiss Parliament has approved the purchase of 186 Swedish CV9030 armored infantry fighting vehicles. This is actually the Norwegian version of the vehicle with the 30mm cannon; Swedish Army CV90s carry 40mm guns. Sweden will build the vehicles, but Switzerland will build its own turrets and install them locally. Leftwing parties in Switzerland had tried to delay the purchase until final decisions are made about the new post-Cold War structure of the Swiss military. The 186 vehicles include 22 command post variants. The contract has options to buy another 124 vehicles, but this order will not be placed until 2002, by which time the new structure will have been decided. The Swiss version of the CV9030 will have several improvements over those being built for Norway and Sweden, including built-in test equipment, battlefield management software, and video links for the commander, gunner, driver, and dismount squad leader. The CV9030s will replace the 380 M113s now in Swiss Army service.--Stephen V Cole