Saab has received an order from the Australian Department of Defence for the supply of additional Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles, the company announced on 4 July 2023.
The order value is SEK 400 M (EUR 33.57 M), with deliveries during 2024-2025.
The weapons bound for Australia will be delivered with Saab’s new FCD 558 fire control device. Various iterations of the Carl-Gustaf weapon are used by the armed forces of more than 40 countries worldwide.
The key features of the Carl-Gustaf M4 are that it is manportable and easy to operate, weighing around 7 kg and being less than 1 m long, as well as offering tactical flexibility through a wide range of ammunition types that allow armoured, structural and personnel targets to be addressed. The M4 weapon is also backward-compatible with all legacy Carl-Gustaf ammunition.
The FCD 558 fire control device features built-in ballistics data for all Carl-Gustaf ammunition, allowing rapid reloading and adjustment, and has improved sensors for temperature and air pressure, along with a night-fighting capability.
Peter Felstead
