AB Landsverk - The Modern Era

The Modern Era

During the Second World War Landsverk designed and partly manufactured, most of the Swedish Army's tanks. At the conclusion of that conflict Landsverk was confiscated by the Swedish state and sold to Kockums.

The Irish Army operated several Landsverk vehicles over the last 80 years. Two L-60 tanks were purchased in 1935 as training vehicles to supplement the single Vickers Mk D. Although three tanks were of dubious military value, budget constraints prevented additional purchases. Both were out of service by 1953 due to a lack of tracks. Both are still in existence, one has been restored to working condition.

The Irish Army also used the L-180 armoured car. The type was adopted to replace the aging Rolls Royce fleet in 1937. Eight were delivered by 1939, but the last five on order were never delivered due to the outbreak of the Second World War. The same was the case with many other vehicles in the Irish Army, budget constraints meant that the L180s were still in front-line service (albeit up-gunned with 20mm cannon) until 1972. Incredibly, they were then transferred to the Irish Army Reserve, the FCA, where they were kept in service until the mid 1980s. 4 are preserved, including one donated to the Swedish Army.

The Landsverk Company produced an armoured scout car based on the Unimog S404 in the late 1950s. The Irish Army purchased 15 of the vehicles (originally intended for the police force in the Belgian Congo), in 1971 at a bargain price. They were intended as a stop-gap vehicle for use until the first Panhard M3 VTT APCs entered service in 1972. The type had excellent off-road capability but poor on-road handling due to a high centre of gravity and several accidents occurred as a result. A four-man dismountable squad arrangement was carried, but space was cramped and in any case a four-man detachment was far too small for any sort of realistic military purpose. Other criticisms were that the gunner's position was too exposed. Eventually the Unimog Scout Cars arrived in Ireland in February 1972, their departure having been delayed by a local peace group who thought they were destined for the Provisional Irish Republican Army. By mid 1978 all had been transferred to the Irish Army Reserve, the FCA. All were withdrawn by 1984, two are preserved; one in the transport museum in Howth Co Dublin and one in England.