The
Stridsvagn 103 (
strv 103), also known as the
S-Tank, was a
Swedish post-war
main battle tank. It was known for its unconventional design: it was
turretless with a fixed gun
traversed by engaging the
tracks and
elevated by adjusting the hull
suspension. While turretless armoured fighting vehicles are usually classified as
assault guns or
tank destroyers, despite its unique
gun laying process the Strv 103 is considered a tank because its designated combat role matched those of other tanks within contemporary Swedish doctrine. It is the only tank of any kind since
World War II to dispense with a turret.
The Strv 103 was designed and manufactured in Sweden. It was developed in the 1950s and was the first main battle tank to use a
turbine engine. The result was a very low-profile design with an emphasis on
survivability and heightened crew protection level. Strv 103s formed a major portion of the Swedish armoured forces from the 1960s to part of the 1990s, when, along with the
Centurions, it was replaced with the
Stridsvagn 121 and the
Stridsvagn 122.