The Stridsvagn 122A is the Swedish first subvariant for the Leopard 2A5, which is the sixth variant of the Leopard 2 main battle tank family. The Stridsvagn 122A is distinguished from the Leopard 2A5 largely by the French GALIX smoke dispensers, different storage bins, and thicker crew hatches. Everything else remains the same as on standard Leopard 2A5. The Leopard 2A5 (launched in mid-1998) differs from previous variants in appearance due to the addition of wedge-shaped spaced add-on armour over the entire front as well as the forward sides of the turret. This wedge-shaped space add-on armour is designed to deflect and erode kinetic-energy penetrators as well as neutralize a hollow charge before it reaches the base armour. The shot-trap effect was investigated and avoided as a result of the first layer, which does not deflect penetrators into the hull, as well as angle calculations and the material utilized for the outer layer. As a result, the gun mantlet had been altered to accommodate the new wedge-shaped spaced add-on armour. In addition, the complete composite armour composition has been altered and improved. Spall liners were fitted in the crew compartment to prevent fragmentation, and the frontal area of the side skirts was upgraded and fortified. The turret traverse and systems were completely electric to decrease weight and simplify maintenance and reliability. The tank commander's vision was placed beyond the hatch, and thermal imaging equipment was fitted separately. The gunner's sight was also moved to the turret roof (earlier versions had it incorporated into the front turret armour cavity). The driver's hatch has been modified as well. The entire gun brake system was updated because this type was scheduled to be upgraded to the new 120 mm Rheinmetall L/55 tank gun in the future Leopard 2A6 variant.
Introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury", the Stridsvagn 122A variant provides higher turret protection than the preceding Stridsvagn 121 variant due to the addition of wedge-shaped spaced add-on armour covering the frontal area and forward flanks of the turret. Even though it is a spaced add-on armour, the characteristic wedge-shaped design effectively disrupts and reduces the energy of incoming enemy tank ammunition rounds, resulting in significant armour penetration reduction. The tank layouts are identical to the Stridsvagn 121, however, crew positions alter slightly. The tank commander's sight has been significantly enhanced, giving him an independent sight equipped with thermal imaging equipment, which offers hunter-killer capabilities.
