Hagglunds tracked vehicles were sold to Russia – New Technology

     Snowcat BV206. Photo: BAE Systems
     

The Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian companies have for several years been selling tracked vehicles from the Swedish Hägglunds to unknown companies and private individuals in Russia.

Norska newspaper Dagbladet reveals today that the country’s armed forces tracked vehicles sold from the Swedish Hagglunds model BV206 to unknown companies and individuals in Russia in 2006-2009.

Tidningen have taken note of the sales charts, showing that buyers existed in Murmansk and St Petersburg.

In addition to this, private dealers also selling tracked vehicles to Russia.

– Much of what we bought have gone on to Russia, says an actor working with surplus equipment to the newspaper.

According to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are not given any license for the export of tracked vehicles to Russia during the years in question. Whether the sale was subject to licensing by 2014 depends on whether off-road vehicles could have military functions. According to witnesses, shall however almost all equipment except the battle lights have been left on the vehicles.

Hagglunds BV206 developed especially for the Swedish and Norwegian armed forces, and can take 17 soldiers through different types of difficult terrain. The newspaper stated that it is aware that private buyers with purchase “several hundred” tracked vehicles of the Norwegian Armed Forces, sold a large number further to Russia. This will partly be done through Sweden.

Around 2000, Norwegian defense around 2 000 tracked vehicles of the type. But with the major reorganization has been made out of many cars – and last year there were just left about 1,000 of Hagglunds tracked vehicles left in the Norwegian army.

While US Special Forces reportedly bought 69 carts, and Lithuania 23 Latvia 30 and the Finnish army will have bought 379 pieces.

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