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Stridsvagn KRV / EMIL

The EMIL project started out in 1951 as a medium tank, but in 1952, the Sedish army, like other western nations, decided that they needed a counter to the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank. This line of thought shaped the EMIL project after 1951 [despite the capitalization, EMIL appears to be a common name of no particularly significance, rather than an acronym]. The Stridsvagn KRV ( KRV is the abbreviation for Kranvagn, trolley) was the cover name for the prototype hull during the 1950s for the EMIL armaments project. This medium tank was intended as a Swedish developed alternative to the Centurion tank the Britain announced that they could not deliver in the foreseeable future. The project was originally classified top secret (“of great importance for the security of the realm”).

After World War II it was clear that Sweden's motley tank park was outdated. The Royal Army Administration (KAF) took an inventory, and the investigation concluded that the most cost-effective option was a new acquisition of the British Centurion Mk III tank, which could upgraded in the future. The British initial answer to Sweden's request, however, was that no delivery could be made before the UK's own needs were covered, which was estimated to take between five and fifteen years.

Therefore KAF was commissioned in 1951 to design Swedish-made options, which took place in great secrecy. Parallel experiments were conducted with the French light tank AMX-13. The first design proposal had a combat weight of about 28 tons, low chassis with plow-shaped front, which gave very good protection against fire. Wide treads and an engine of 550 hp (100 of which is spent on cooling fans) would give a speed of 55 km/h. Depending on increased importance and demands, the same ratio of engine power could the engine to 900 hp (200 to fans). With 200 liter 75 octane gasoline (standard at the time) in internal tanks and 350 liters in external tanks, the calculated a highway mileage was 16 mil.

The purpose of the work was to determine with certainty if a vehicle with weapons, armor protection and vehicular performance [mainly according EMIL project] can be built within the specified parameters. The design would as far as possible be based on existing domestic manufacturing resources. The scope of work would necessarily be significant. Thus, in terms of weight and space, all the main aggregates would need to be determined with good accuracy. This meant that the main aggregates would be calculated in detail, so that acceptable preliminary drawings could be performed. In some cases, this required full design accuracy. After the calculation were performed, the feasibility of the project could be discerned.

Details needed to be worked through and with regard to space requirements and also taking into account that despite the small piece weight, these by their large number can significantly affect the overall weight of the vehicle. Space issues could if necessary be resolved at trial in the full-scale model. These should initially be simple plywood models of the current space used. Work must in practice get the scale of a complete constructive working through the entire combat vehicle, which is to be transferred to the production stage. This essentially only required detailed drawing.

Given the extent of labor would be out of the jaw's point suitable for the bulk of the work could be outsourced to industry. The only Swedish company which had the appropriate expertise to monitor and maintain the entire question of weapons-ammunition-armored vehicles was Bofors. The company's engineering departments, however, was fully booked for a long time. The condition of the vehicle's specified work plan was with some involvement of industry, with specifications from Bofors and the Swedish aircraft engine company.

A significant part of the vehicle would therefore be based on estimated data whose fulfillment in practice can not be concluded until the intended research in this area had been completed. A period of three to five years was estimated for this. Alternative solutions based on 10.5 cm cannon, Vo about 1000 m/s, and nuclear munitions, would also be executed in broad terms.

EMIL was split into three different versions with different engines and weight, though the different versions all shared the same basic layout. Compared to 1951 vehicle, changes included a reworked suspension, wider tracks, redesigned frontal armor inspired by the IS 3 and a change from welded to a cast design for the rear of the turret.

1. E1 [EMIL alternative 1] was the lightest model, based on the original 1951 requirements. It was estimated to weigh about 32t depending on the armor-thickness and engine chosen. It would also be armed with the same 12cm gun as the 1951 proposal. It was considered in case only the low powered engines could be acquired.
2. E2 [EMIL alternative 2] was the mid-range model, it was bigger and heavier than the E1 with a weight between 34 and 39 ton’s depending on the armor and engine. It was to be equipped with either a 540hp or 665hp engine which would give it a power to weight ratio of 17-20hp/t. Initially this was the preferred model of the tank as it had more upgrade potential than the E1 while still being viable with a Swedish engine. However with the confirmation of the availability of the high power engines the E2 was no longer needed and as with the E1 development was discontinued by the end of 1952.
3. E3 [EMIL alternative 3] was the heaviest model, with a weight between 38 and 42 tons. This version was unrealistic, as no Swedish engine was available at the time, but it became the preferred model once American engines became available. The E3 had the same armament as the E2 model (150mm smoothbore) but was able to have heavier frontal and side armor while still maintaining a high power to weight ratio. In late 1952 the E3 model was chosen for further development over the E1 and E2 and became the basis for all future versions of the EMIL project vehicles.

In 1952, the project was reworked from a set of basic requirements and schematics into a functional design. More outlandish ideas were scrapped in favor of technologies, that had already been prototyped or tested and several new ideas were being tested as well.

In December 1952 the British changed their position on selling the Centurion, possibly due to the state of the UK economy. In 1953 after having pulled out of negotiations about purchasing the AMX 13 at the last minute after the personal intervention of the commander in chief. Sweden purchased the Centurion Mk.3 tank. The purchase was approved by the Defense Minister Torsten Nilsson at turn of the year 1952/1953. The first delivery took place in April 1953 after which E M I L was closed in 1954, when the Centurions proved satisfactory. During 1955 Centurion tanks were exported to: Australia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland. A fully-equipped Centurion tank would cost about £75,000.

The turret and and weaponry were never implemented. Two chassis were manufactured, one of which was used as the prototype Artillerikanonvagn [Artillery gun wagon] 151 (VK 155). The other was used for concept testing Tank S, which later became stridsvagn 103. The hulls were used for testing off-road performance and reliability until Bofors could deliver the turrets which was supposed to happen in 1957. In the end Bofors proved unable to develop the main gun.

A few years later, a consortium consisting of Bofors, Landsverk and Volvo suggested the procurement to the 1958 defense decision that the project would resume with a 155 mm piece of oscillating tower, but when it was considered too expensive, and Sweden adopted instead the Tank S. The cancellation of project EMIL also marked the last time Sweden would consider the idea of a tank heavier than 40 tons until the 1980s.