The CV90 infantry fighting vehicle project is one of the largest modernization programs of the Czech Army and one of the most extensive projects in the history of the state-owned enterprise VOP CZ. Since 2025, it has been led by Milan Zvirinský, former Chief of Staff of the 7th Mechanized Brigade “Dukelská,” who has served in missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Mali, and has experience within NATO command structures in the Netherlands and Belgium. In the next episode of the program CZ DIALOGUES, VOP CZ Director of Projects and Development Milan Zvirinský describes how cooperation with the Swedish manufacturer BAE Systems Hägglunds works in practice, what new capabilities the company is building, and why he considers the CV90 program both a major challenge and a historic opportunity.

Video: Interview with Milan Zvirinský, Director of Projects and Development at VOP CZ / CZ DEFENCE

The CV90 infantry fighting vehicle project is one of the Czech Army’s key modernization programs and also one of the largest and most complex projects ever undertaken by the state-owned enterprise VOP CZ. Since 2025, the project has been led at the state-owned enterprise by Milan Zvirinský, a former officer of the Czech Army and war veteran who has served in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Mali and has experience within NATO command structures. He joined the project leadership at a time when the program was already in full swing, and it was necessary to build on the work of the previous team while preparing VOP CZ for the vehicle production and integration phase. “I took over this project just under a year ago from my predecessor, who had led it from the very beginning and set the direction in which this project would be gradually implemented. However, my primary task at present is to coordinate the whole process, both horizontally and vertically, and of course, all in English or Czech,” Zvirinský describes his role.

According to him, the CV90 project is unique due to the very structure of its contractual relationships. While the Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the procurement of infantry fighting vehicles with BAE Systems, the state-owned enterprise VOP CZ has a contractual relationship specifically with this company, not directly with the Ministry of Defense. “The Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the winning bidder, BAE Systems, for the procurement of infantry fighting vehicles, and BAE Systems selected VOP CZ as the integrator for these vehicles. This contractual relationship is structured such that VOP CZ is effectively a supplier to BAE Systems—or, if you will, the vehicle integrator—while our founding entity, the Ministry of Defense, is the customer for BAE Systems,” he explains.

According to him, the role of integrator is key for VOP CZ. The company will be responsible in the Czech Republic for integrating individual components into the final configuration of combat vehicles, while collaborating with a number of other companies both domestically and abroad that are involved in the Czech program. From VOP CZ’s perspective, the CV90 program for the Czech Republic comprises two main contracts. “One for the procurement of the combat vehicles themselves in several variants, and the other for the development and production of workshop vehicles on the 8×8 platform. The project also includes development activities carried out directly at VOP CZ. As for development, the unique aspect is that VOP CZ is developing two combat vehicle platforms: a medical platform and the so-called FAO, which is a forward mobile artillery observation post. “And, of course, all three modifications of the CV90 workshop vehicles, which VOP CZ is also developing from start to finish, are based on the 8×8 platform,” says Zvirinský.

After taking the position, he says he first had to familiarize himself in detail with the project’s complex structure while also adjusting certain processes. He focused primarily on the areas of testing, evaluation, and quality. “Given the complexity and demands of this project, it was necessary to adjust certain parameters in testing, quality assurance, and project quality, which led to a relatively significant change and strengthening of my department’s organizational structure,” he explains.

According to him, the CV90 program is exceptionally demanding, primarily in terms of coordinating the large number of entities involved. Dozens of Czech and foreign companies and suppliers are collaborating on the project, and they often have their own contractual relationships with the main manufacturer, BAE Systems. From my perspective, the most challenging aspect for VOP CZ is not only internal but also external coordination, because there are a whole range of companies we have to work with—not because we want to, but because we have to, as dictated by our contract with BAE Systems. “As I mentioned, a number of companies have their own contracts directly with BAE Systems; VOP CZ cooperates with them and purchases certain items directly, because VOP CZ acts as the integrator here,” explains Zvirinský.

According to him, the supplier system is divided into several categories. “Some of our suppliers have a direct contract with BAE Systems, others manufacture components according to BAE Systems’ technical specifications, and still others supply materials directly to VOP CZ,” he adds. “We have various categories of subcontractors. There are so-called suppliers who have a direct contract with BAE Systems, and VOP CZ only purchases components for vehicle integration. Other subcontractors are so-called ‘built-to-print’ suppliers, meaning they manufacture certain components according to BAE Systems’ technical specifications. And finally, there are our contractual partners who supply the rest of the materials,” Zvirinský explains.

In addition to integration, VOP CZ is also involved in the development of certain vehicle variants. One such project is, for example, a medical version of the combat vehicle. “My development team is already finalizing the medical version of the Ambulance. The VOP CZ development team came up with a design and technical solution for what an ambulance based on the CV90 platform could look like,” says Zvirinský. According to him, the team consists of a mix of experienced experts as well as a number of younger employees. In the areas of design and technical development, the majority are people with many years of experience working in a state-owned enterprise. “There are very experienced people there—incredibly smart, creative, and intelligent. As far as development goes, I didn’t bring in any of my own acquaintances. On the contrary, for example, in the electrical design or mechanical design departments, there are very experienced people who have been working there and developing components for various products for decades,” says Zvirinský.

According to him, collaboration with BAE Systems takes place through various regular working groups and project meetings. Coordination is indeed very intensive and covers a wide range of areas, from production and logistics to the creation of manuals and documentation. “There are roughly ten core areas, ranging from procurement and production to the creation of training materials, various manuals, and so on. People from my team regularly participate in a whole range of working groups and meetings, and we regularly share the outcomes with the project team,” he explains. In addition, regular meetings are held with the Swedish side, which is the platform’s main manufacturer. “The scope of coordination activities is truly enormous. I think the cooperation is at a good level, but as in any project, there are a number of things that could certainly be improved,” says Zvirinský.

According to him, the CV90 program brings a whole range of new responsibilities to the state-owned enterprise. One of the most significant areas is the future management of the vehicles’ lifecycle. “This is a completely new CV90 Mk IV vehicle platform. It involves a whole range of responsibilities that VOP CZ must handle in the future, including warranty and post-warranty service,” he explains. Moreover, modern combat vehicles are now equipped with systems that allow for continuous monitoring of their technical condition and the prediction of maintenance needs. “Every vehicle on this platform will be capable of transmitting data on its operation, fuel consumption, wear and tear, and similar factors. This data will be processed and automatically evaluated. To give a better idea, for example, according to the manufacturer’s technical documentation, the cannon will need to be replaced after x thousand rounds. But before that happens, the system will use the available data to make its own prediction in advance and suggest to the user when this might occur, so that the user can order a new cannon from the manufacturer well in advance,” explains Milan Zvirinský.

In the long term, VOP CZ aims to play a significant role specifically in the area of vehicle service and maintenance. “VOP CZ aspires to provide service—including warranty and post-warranty service—in the future,” says Zvirinský, who also references the company director’s idea in this context, which he believes accurately captures the future direction. “I would paraphrase our director, who came up with the idea of a ‘single phone number.’ In the event of a problem, the end user will call that one number, and VOP CZ, as the future service partner, will provide complete maintenance services from A to Z,” says the director of projects and development at VOP CZ.

At the same time, he believes the CV90 program represents an extraordinary opportunity for the company. Not only because of technological development, but also in terms of future involvement in other projects. “The scope of this project is so complex that it’s a real challenge for everyone. As they say, the devil is in the details, and an incredible number of those details emerge every day,” describes Zvirinský. If VOP CZ proves itself in the role of integrator, he says, it could become a partner of BAE Systems in other projects as well. “We would be delighted to become a permanent partner of BAE Systems. By that I mean we would not only integrate vehicles for the Czech Army, but also for other NATO countries within the European region,” adds Zvirinský. 

If you’d like to learn more, watch the full interview at the beginning of this article.